BY GEORGE LEHNER Brazil showed a significant decline in the 2017 FSI, becoming the fourth most worsened country since 2016, largely as a result of a devastating recession, continued fallout from widespread political corruption probes, and the impeachment of its President. Overall, Brazil worsened by 2.9 points on its total score compared to the prior […]
Tag Archives: Fragile States Index
Problems of the Rainbow Nation Viewed Across the Full Spectrum
- 14 May 2017
BY J.J. MESSNER Over the past decade, the Rainbow Nation has also traversed much of the color spectrum on the Fragile States Index (FSI) map. Though our color palette is simply representative of a country’s score – green to blue for the most stable, yellow to deep red for the most fragile – the changing […]
And Now For Some Good News: Where the World is Getting Better
- 14 May 2017
BY DANIEL GANZ The most fragile — and the most worsened — countries tend to attract the most attention in the Fragile States Index (FSI). However, the reality is that the majority of countries are improving based on the FSI’s trends, and a number of countries have made considerable progress in the past decade based […]
Cracks in the Foundation: United States and United Kingdom
- 14 May 2017
BY NATE HAKEN Society is more resilient to shocks when social, economic, political and security pressures are manageable. However, an improving economy does not guarantee social and political cohesion. The United States is a case in point. In 2016, unemployment (at 4.9%) was at a 9-year low; GDP per capita (at US$57,500) was at an […]
“So Far From God, So Close to the United States.” Mexico Most Worsened in 2017
- 14 May 2017
BY GEORGE LEHNER It has been a tough year for Mexico. As Mexico has borne the brunt of combative political rhetoric from north of the border, the country has also weathered economic and political challenges, as well as an uptick of violence. The first weeks of 2017 saw widespread protests throughout Mexico, a sign that […]
Colombia Enjoys a Peace Dividend After Half-Century of Conflict
- 14 May 2017
BY CHRISTINA MURPHY Colombia captured international headlines and accolades in 2016 when the government signed a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). This victory for President Juan Manuel Santos’ government marked the beginning of the end for one of the world’s longest running civil wars. Although the deal was narrowly rejected […]
Fragile States Index 2017: Factionalization and Group Grievance Fuel Rise in Instability
- 14 May 2017
BY J.J. MESSNER Though South Sudan has returned to top position on the annual Fragile States Index (FSI) for 2017, and Finland continues to maintain its position as the world’s least fragile country, the global tumult of the past year has been borne out in the Index’s trend analysis, as Ethiopia, Mexico, and Turkey recorded […]
Fragile States Index 2016: The Book
- 27 June 2016
BY J.J. MESSNER, NATE HAKEN ET AL. The Fragile States Index, produced by The Fund for Peace, is a critical tool in highlighting not only the normal pressures that all states experience, but also in identifying when those pressures are pushing a state towards the brink of failure. By highlighting pertinent issues in weak and […]
Europe’s Refugee Crisis Underscores Global Interconnectedness
- 27 June 2016
BY J.J. MESSNER As the civil war in Syria enters its sixth year, its effects continue to wreak havoc not only on its own war-ravaged population, but also upon countries farther afield. In the 2016 Fragile States Index, Syria was again one of the most worsened countries year-on-year, catapulting them into the list of the […]
Underlying Concerns Create a Worrying Outlook for Britain Beyond Brexit
- 24 June 2016
BY J.J. MESSNER As the dust settles on the historic Brexit vote and its effects, it is easy to focus on the near term, visible side effects. Even in the unlikely event that Britain manages to negotiate an association deal that is as good as being in the European Union, it will now no longer […]