Everything that happens in the world of human activity revolves around their well-being and with that the economy is at the core. Economy has direct influence on politics and peoples social lives. Major world wars and political changes resulted from economic issues afflicting nations or territories. Earlier rulers fought for more territories to gain not just political influence but to also gain more economic clout. Colonialism was inspired by economic need and desire. Where is this with the growth of terrorism in the world? A look at terrorism bastion of fighters reveals an economic problem often camouflaged in religion.
The Middle East, parts of Asia (like Pakistan and Afghanistan), North Africa, parts of West Africa, and parts of East Africa are reeling under terror groups or threats of it. Similarly developed countries that include US, UK, France and Australia have problems with home-grown terrorists. Have a look at most of the countries with huge terrorist’s bases - poor. But the fact that the developed world has less of terrorists inset does not mean they are free from attacks or effects. Indeed we have seen the threat of home grown terrorists who aspire to those convoluted ideologies or even their own citizens leaving to join terrorist’s ranks abroad.
In essence what it means is no country no matter how powerful is safe from terrorists. Closely reviewed the terrorists groups would feel happy to score a point against powerful nations. Terrorists are a reality of current era. But closely looking at global economics it simply means we can no longer ignore the poor or our neighbours. They will always be a source of trouble if we keep quiet whenever they have humanity suffering want inset.
If you look at countries that have been ruled by tyrants, whenever they leave by whatever means, may it be natural death, removal by force whether internally or externally, they become chaotic thereafter. Just have a look at Iraq, Libya, Congo DRC and now Yemen just to name a few. It also means countries currently suffering from tyranny, abuse of human rights or denial of democratic principles are at a threat of chaos once the rulers leave. Unfortunately, when chaos emerge or a nation fails, it creates not only refugees, pain and suffering but a safe haven for terror groups. It means letting countries fail is also a problem.
I have studied issues around Somalia and the growth of terror in the East African region for a while now. It scares to realize growth of Al-Shabaab sympathizers has been easy in the region due to endemic poverty, mass unemployment and mass indoctrination particularly the youth. Global terror groups know that poverty, poor education, mass unemployment and corruption are good ingredients for growing their networks. Kenya as a neighbor to Somalia has deep challenges emanating from this. Bad doctrine is easy to spread among a disaffected lot. This is the same formula Hitler used in Germany in the 1930’s. The disaffection with the economy by the country population was cannon fodder for growing in his power and ugly regime that wrought the mess that was part of World War 2.
So in a nutshell, ignore the poor at your own peril. Each country in the globe matters. If you let the poor grow in numbers the more trouble for the world. The inter-connectivity, the ease of movement and interaction has also made it easier to grow criminal movements. To mitigate and contain the numbers the economies must tick.
