failed state

Definition/Scope: A failed state is a nation or entity where all or most internal critical infrastructure has collapsed. It is generally understood that all attempts by the national government has lost control due to insurgency/criminal activity, political collapse, or economic capability. There is considerable political negativity when a nation has been declared or called a failed state by other nations. (ICRC #836) The International Review of the Red Cross #836 defines failed state as "States in which institutions and law and order have totally or partially collapsed under the pressure and amidst the confusion of erupting violence, yet which subsist as a ghostly presence on the world map, are now commonly referred to as "failed States" or "Etats sans gouvernement"."

Broader Terms:

human rights
international law
Rule of Law

Related Terms:

Cambodia
Chad
core state
Haiti
Non-State Actor
Somalia
Sudan