So, how does one build a nation?

[sweeteviljesus]

I was rereading a bit from Babylon by Bus by Jeff Neuman and Ray Lemione (?) and he was bitching to Naomi Wolf at a dinner party about the effect of the CPA orders on the economy of Iraq as promoting looting of the country by foreign interests. If you were in charge of rebuilding Iraq and could get what you needed from Congress and the President (but couldn't stop the invasion in the first place), what would you do? One of the first things I would do would be to get more troops to try an improve the security situation. I don't know how many more troops the services had to give, though. I am not sure what comes next, but probably embracing the various tribes.

Also, more generally, how does one build a nation? Say you wanted to fix things in, I don't know, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What do you do there?

Thanks,
Rob

[ITR champion]

If there's a single instance of successful nation-building in human history, I'm not aware of it. Proponents point to the examples of West Germany and Japan in the years after World War II. However, those were both advanced, industrialized nations before the war. They already had the educated workforce, physical infrastructure, institutions, free-market economy, and other things needed to be a prosperous nation. Some of those things were destroyed in the war, of course, but they had the know-how to rebuild. I can't think of any instance where a first-world nation has invaded a third-world one and lifted it up to first world status during the occupation.

As an example, we need only look at the Arab world. The worst off Arab countries are the ones that the USA and other foreigners have tried to govern and rehabilitate: Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. The best off are those which have been most free from outside intervention, such as Turkey and the UAE. In the middle are those that have been meddled with, but not to the point of outright conquest: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Pakistan, among others.

[Bryan Ekers]

Lego.

[Giles]

Originally Posted by ITR champion

... As an example, we need only look at the Arab world. ... Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. ... Turkey and the UAE. ... Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Pakistan, among others.

Nitpick: four of those countries are not part of the "Arab world", though they are part of the Middle East.

But, on the main point, I think that successful national building needs to come from within the country, and not be imposed from outside.

[Wesley Clark]

First you steal all the underwear you can.

[Wesley Clark]

As a non-political scientist and non-anthropologist, it seems that having a homogeneous population who feel they are united together as one unit is a major factor in building a nation. People have to feel their values, interests and goals match those of their neighbors.

Like it or not we are a species easily divided by race, ethnicity, religion, politics, culture, etc. I am guilty of this myself (I'm pretty partisan politically), just like virtually every other honest person.

So in rebuilding Iraq, can you rebuild it with all these groups who think they are enemies? The middle east was artificially divided in the 20th century by Britain to divy up the oil wealth. Same with Africa sans the oil.

In the south (since I am more familiar with US policy) you have things like jim crow to keep the de facto peace. As long as one group doesn't assert its equality, then the social contract stands. But sooner or later groups deemed on the fringes of society will assert their rights (minorities asserting their rights seems coorelated to economic growth, but I'm not sure how).

[Little Nemo]

I don't know about all the steps, but here's some of things I think you need to have a working country:

1. public education - I don't see how any country can work without an educated population. It's a basic foundation.
2. legal system - You need a good set of laws, a fair court system, and a decent police force. Your population needs to have a legal system they feel they can trust.
3. jobs - Unemployed people hanging around is a time bomb. If your private economy isn't providing work, then create public work projects. Build roads and bridges to improve your infrastructure while also providing jobs.
4. democracy - A surprising one here. Democracy's definitely on my list of things that a country will need. But it's a long term goal not a short term one. People need to see your institutions and economy are working first. Turn over the country to democracy to early and you're just opening the door to demagogues.