Role of Social Order in Foreign Interventions in Somalia

What is it about?

State-building initiatives recognize existence of state structures as an essential element for establishing stability and peace in given country. Such approach perceives central institutions as a platform that allows to coordinate different aspects of human interactions and basic structure upon which social order can be achieved. This state-centred attitude results from the constructivist philosophy. It reflect Hobbesian assumption that lack central institutions lead to chaos and permanent 'war of all against all'. This approach however does not recognize possibility of spontaneous emergence of social order, not based on central institutions. As a result it promotes solutions based on democratic system of government characterized by legislation and centralized political power. In this paper above assumption is confronted with the examples of foreign involvement in Somalia. Without government since early 1990s, this country is an example of how spontaneous order can emerge and public goods provided in stateless society. Lack of recognition of spontaneous institutions not only undermines foreign attempts to stabilize situation but occurs to be a source of the conflict by itself.

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