To get back to the Failed States Index, the scores on those twelve heads are now aggregated with equal weights. The scale thus has a maximum of 120 and a minimum of 0.

An indicator like sustained human flight is included in the 12 categories with the plausible hypothesis that given a choice, people exit (migrate) from misgoverned countries to better governed ones. Or in the given context, if measurement is robust, from a relatively stable country to a more stable one. The only other country with a score of 72.9 is Namibia. How many Indians would like to trade place with Namibians? For that matter, how many Indians would like to exit to Kazakhstan, Senegal, Libya, or Ghana? All four are more “stable” than India.

Norway leads the group of the most stable countries, with Japan bringing up the rear. India falls into the category of border-line states, in some danger - only slightly ahead of China.

Countries that fall into the critical group and declared failed states, are led by Syria, and Somalia brings up the rear. With the exception of Bhutan and Maldives, all of South Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal) finds a place here. Ignoring a few individual countries, other significant failed state zones on the global map are sub-Saharan Africa (excluding southern Africa) and the Middle East. If we ignore cross-border linkages and decide to celebrate our relative stability status, here is a quote from the Fund on whether there are states that have pulled back from the brink of failure: “The most dramatic ones are those that did it without outside military or administrative intervention. In the 1970s, analysts predicted dire consequences, including mass famine and internal violence in India, citing rapid population growth, economic mismanagement, and extensive poverty and corruption. Today, India has turned itself around. It is the world’s largest democracy, with a competitive economy and a representative political system.” This isn’t a reference to the Emergency.

... contd.