Overall, the concept of a failed state is a relatively new concept appeared at the end of the twentieth century. Due to its novelty, the concept has not yet acquired a single well-established definition. Thus, according to Rotberg, a failed state is “tense, deeply conflicted, dangerous, and contested bitterly by warring factors.” In other words, a failed state is no longer able to fulfill its basic responsibilities, the government has lost control over its territory, and the citizens cannot feel safe as the state does no longer guarantee protection and stability. Following this idea, the concept of a failed state is directly correlated with the safety of its citizens and thus, with the refugees and immigration.
The lack of power often results in violent chaos where different rebel groups struggle for power making civilians abandon their homes and become refugees, they also cause an increase in morbidity, mortality, and poverty rates. The growing number of failed states consequently results in the growing number of refugees which, in turn, leads to various refugee crises all over the world. Despite the fact that international organizations always try to provide assistance to the civilian population, neither neighboring nor distant countries are often able to accept a large number of refugees. This is a matter of a serious discussion in Europe where the Common European Asylum System has failed to fulfill its responsibilities. In this respect, various political powers now claim that Europe suffers from a large-scale refugee crisis and the existing legislation should be revised in order to cope with this problem. On the other hand, the so-called “survival migration” cannot be treated as a regular migration in search of a better life.
People fleeing from their native countries in an attempt to save their lives should be considered as victims of violence and should obtain support and assistance both from the international organization and the entire world community. The link between failed states and existing as well as potential refugee crises is straightforward, so in order to solve the issue of refugee crises society should address the issue of failed states first.
- Betts, Alexander. “State Fragility, Refugee Status and ‘Survival Migration’.” Forced Migration Review 43, no. 1 (2013): 4-6.
- Chetail, Vincent. “Looking beyond the Rhetoric of the Refugee Crisis: The Failed Reform of the Common European Asylum System.” European Journal of Human Rights 5, no. 1 (2016): 584-602.
- Rotberg, Robert I. “Failed States, Collapsed States, Weak States: Causes and Indicators.” In State Failure and State Weakness in a Time of Terror, edited by Robert I. Rotberg, 1-25. Washington, D. C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2004.
- Szuhai, Ilona. “Rethinking the Concept of Failed State.” Central European Papers 3, no. 2 (2015): 99-110.
