The extreme end of failure where a total vacuum of authority exists, and political goods are provided only by local, uncoordinated forces. 2. Primary Causes of State Failure
Perform well across all categories, ensuring security, law, and basic infrastructure.
Scholars like Robert Rotberg categorize states based on their performance in providing security and other "political goods": When States Fail: Causes and Consequences
A rapid reduction in incomes, extreme inequality, and the informal privatization of essential services like health and education.
Fulfill some expectations but perform poorly in others; they often suffer from corruption and deteriorating infrastructure. The extreme end of failure where a total
State failure is rarely triggered by a single event but rather a combination of systemic issues:
Human agency is often the most direct cause, as rulers subvert democratic norms and work for personal or kin-based gain. Scholars like Robert Rotberg categorize states based on
Deep ethnic, religious, or tribal divisions that are exploited by political elites to fuel violent conflict.
