Why Do De Facto States Fail?

Abstract

This study seeks to improve our understanding of the causes leading to the failure of de facto states. In contrast to the voluminous body of literature on sovereign state failure, the process of de facto state's failure remains under-researched. Drawing upon the existing research on state failure and de facto statehood, we narrow down our theoretical explanations to a set of causes related to civil conflict, tribalism and economic crisis. More specifically, we aim to examine the effect of tribalism, warlordism, ideological fractionalisation and economic deficiencies upon the collapse and failure of de facto entities. We employ the case study of the interwar Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999) to demonstrate how the above detailed factors contributed towards the collapse of a de facto state.