When Things Fell Apart

In the later decades of the twentieth century Africa plunged into political chaos. States failed governments became predators and citizens took up arms. In When Things Fell Apart Robert H. Bates advances an exploration of state failure in Africa. In so doing he not only plumbs the depths of the continent's late-century tragedy but also the logic of political order and the foundations of the state. This book covers a wide range of territory by drawing on materials from Rwanda Sudan Liberia and Congo. Written to be accessible to the general reader it is nonetheless a must-read for scholars and policymakers concerned with conflict and state failure.