Argues that despite political, social, and environmental instability, the Somali society and economy have survived. The author focuses on the Somali borderlands adjacent to Kenya, comparing that region with other urban and rural areas of Somalia. His main findings are that, despite the lack of a centralized government, in some areas clan, religious, or business leaders have provided stability; that the Somali currency is stronger than it was during 1980s; that while urban areas continue to suffer economically, rural areas have benefited from fewer movement or trade restrictions; and that in comparison to the failure of Western-funded development projects, those projects selectively adopted and led by Somalis have succeeded. However, despite the economic benefits seen since the disintegration of the centralized government, there is a strong need for the re-development of infrastructure in areas including public health, education, and transportation. The author concludes by discussing how events in Somalia have challenged orthodox ideas of how societies and economies operate, and why those outside Somalia should care what happened. ( )