Part 2: How to think about the state in Liberia

Part 2 of my column got published in Bush Chicken: Amid a Hollowed State, Sources of Optimism.

A piece of the original column wasn't included and it goes like this:

"States have been the organising principle for the last couple of hundred years. The first state of Liberia was fashioned out of 19^th century ideas of statehood in 1847 by founders who believed in their destiny and vision to carve a modern state in this corner of West Africa. The right to statehood and freedom were some of the passionate ideals of the time. The state was the symbol of government and authority and, provider of society’s needs based on the ideology of the governing elites.

Similarly, post war Liberia’s state is being conditioned by norms of the global 21^st century order and reigning international political economy. The international community revived and saved the state in 2003. After almost 15 years of Good Governance, the results are mixed and, most Liberians do not have access to basic infrastructure, security, access to justice, and good schools and hospitals."

Trying to write a column isn't easy. A column is a very concentrated, precise piece of commentary/Opinion. One has to fit everything together in 800-900 words. No wonder one enjoys reading great columnists!