The Failed States Index Rankings

By FOREIGN POLICY & the Fund for Peace

Big Eagle: I have only sited two paragraphs from the full context. Please go to their website to read the complete report. Taiwan and USA are not on the list of 60 countries.

"To present a more precise picture of the scope and implications of the problem, the Fund for Peace, an independent research organization, and FOREIGN POLICY have conducted a global ranking of weak and failing states. Using 12 social, economic, political, and military indicators, we ranked 60 states in order of their vulnerability to violent internal conflict. (For each indicator, the Fund for Peace computed scores using software that analyzed data from tens of thousands of international and local media sources from the last half of 2004. For a complete discussion of the 12 indicators, please go to www.ForeignPolicy.com or www.fundforpeace.org.) The resulting index provides a profile of the new world disorder of the 21st century and demonstrates that the problem of weak and failing states is far more serious than generally thought. About 2 billion people live in insecure states, with varying degrees of vulnerability to widespread civil conflict."

"What are the clearest early warning signs of a failing state? Among the 12 indicators we use, two consistently rank near the top. Uneven development is high in almost all the states in the index, suggesting that inequality within states—and not merely poverty—increases instability. Criminalization or delegitimization of the state, which occurs when state institutions are regarded as corrupt, illegal, or ineffective, also figured prominently. Facing this condition, people often shift their allegiances to other leaders—opposition parties, warlords, ethnic nationalists, clergy, or rebel forces. Demographic factors, especially population pressures stemming from refugees, internally displaced populations, and environmental degradation, are also found in most at-risk countries, as are consistent human rights violations. Identifying the signs of state failure is easier than crafting solutions, but pinpointing where state collapse is likely is a necessary first step."

綠色快樂指數 (Happy Planet Index)

綠色快樂指數 - Happy Planet Index 是最近由一個稱為 ”The New Economics Foundation” (nef) 所創造來衡量各地對人民造福以及對生態利用的結合效果. 依據 nef 公佈的解釋 :

“The Happy Planet Index is an innovative new measure that shows the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered around the world. It is the first ever index to combine environmental impact with well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which country by country, people live long and happy lives. The results are surprising, even shocking, but there is much to learn from what they show.

The nations that top the Index aren’t the happiest places in the world, but the nations that score well show that achieving, long, happy lives without over-stretching the planet’s resources is possible. The Happy Planet Index (HPI) strips the view of the economy back to its absolute basics: what we put in (resources), and what comes out (human lives of different length and happiness). “

想多了解 HPI 的讀者可以到 nef 的網站仔細看一看. HPI 是用下列的公式計算得來:

HPI = [Life Satisfaction] x [Life Expectation] / [Ecological Footprint]

在 nef 的專家們的理想 HPI 是 83.5 . 目前他們調查 178 個國家都沒有一個國家達到這個理想的標準. HPI 大致可以表示在某種社會型態下, 人民的平均快樂壽命. 它也能指示國家利用其自然資源使其公民安康樂居的效率.

以下列出一些典型的國家依[國家]; [排名]; [HPI 值]作比較:

Vietnam; 12; 61.2

Philippines; 17; 59.2

China; 31; 56

India; 62; 48.7

Taiwan; 83; 43.4

Hong Kong; 88; 42.9

Japan; 95; 4.7

Singapore; 131; 36.1

USA; 150; 28.8

Russia; 172; 22.8

Zimbabwe; 178; 16.8

Big Eagle 發現台灣及美國的 Life Satisfaction 及 Life Expectation 還不低但是Ecological Footprint 卻也很高.

再聞國家實驗研究院爆發重大弊案

續2005年南科減震弊案牽連國科會副主委謝清志等人後, 現在國家實驗研究院太空中心又有爆發重大弊案之聞，主任吳作樂等二十多名官商遭到檢察官傳訊調查，吳作樂且被收押。目前揭露的案情尚不完整，但初步爆出台灣自主衛星計畫失敗延遲、浪費公帑、圖利私人等貪瀆情節，已足令人咋舌。

據聯合報及其他報紙的報導, 許多評論大部份分析焦點多集中在吳作樂的個人操守及政商網絡。但事實上，國家實驗研究院出問題，已不是第一遭；和此案有關且將遭檢方下一波傳喚的國研院主管機關國科會前副主委謝清志，其涉及貪瀆案件也不是第一遭。如今呈現在國人眼前的，不只是少數幾名官員的操守墮落問題，更是台灣科技界在「唯綠是用」的政風影響下所導致的專業沈淪問題！

吳作樂主導的衛星計畫弊案曝光，其間接投資的公司亦被查出「包遍各部會業務」；很多人好奇，國家太空中心主任何以如此膽大妄為，神通廣大。吳作樂本人長期以來的各種爭議性及不適任行徑，曾屢遭檢舉，卻皆安然無事。其實，吳作樂的問題，只是國家實驗研究院種種問題的冰山一角。

依聯合報社論的說法, 國研院旗下的「科技政策研究與資訊中心」，因大量聘用海內外獨派社團人士為顧問，花費鉅額公帑研究一些政治性議題，不但受到立委質疑其正當性，也曾被輿論譏誚不如將國研院改名為「台獨研究院」。一年前，傳出以公費研究「利用禽流感議題，讓台灣與中國議題浮出檯面，提高台灣曝光度」這種荒唐的題目，正是出自國家實驗研究院。

國研院的前身為國科會國家實驗室，在九十二年改制為「財團法人」，每年研發經費高達數十億，本來應是國家科技政策的研發核心機構，卻在人事作業及經費使用 諱莫如深，形同「黑洞」的情況下，成為獨派人士接受酬庸、分贓自肥的落腳之處。國研院現任董事長賴義雄及院長莊哲男，都曾積極參與二○○四年的「二二八手 牽手護台灣」而活躍一時，彼等出掌國研院時也受到學術界議論紛紛。

執政黨重用與其意識形態契合者出任重職，此為理所當然。不過，就算「綠」字當頭，總不能完全罔顧政府官員「專業」與「操守」的基本條件。太空中心主任吳作 樂貪瀆又失職，何以長期受到包庇？國研院主管機關國科會的前任副主委謝清志，前有被檢方稱為「精心設計的官商勾結」的南科減振弊案纏身，如今再度因為太空中心案而與蕭秋德一起受到調查；這些人能如此浪費公帑、圖利私人，難道不就是因為抱著一個「深綠」的護身符而貪贓枉法、予取予求？

民進黨唯綠是用，但僅以杜正勝為例，其「三隻小豬」和「罄竹難書」以及最近的「啄龜」等例子，已令人質疑身為教育部長的專業素養；而近來傳出的故宮弊案發展情節，更掀起政務官操守的疑雲。從「用人唯綠」卻變成「近綠則黑」的型象，這不只是台灣科技學術發展的一場大災難，也成為對台獨的形象與信仰一場莫大的諷刺！

First Global Peace Index Ranks 121 Countries

Quoted from: WASHINGTON, May 30 /PRNewswire/ --

The first study to rank countries around the world according to their peacefulness and the drivers that create and sustain their peace was launched today. The Global Peace Index studied 121 countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe and its publication comes one week before the leaders of the world's richest countries gather for the G8 summit in Germany to discuss issues of global concern.

The rankings show that even among the G8 countries there are significant differences in peacefulness: While Japan was the most peaceful of the G8 countries, at a rank of five in the Index, Russia neared the bottom at number 118. The Global Peace Index also reveals that countries which had a turbulent time for parts of the twentieth century, such as Ireland and Germany, have emerged as peace leaders in the 21st century.

The Economist Intelligence Unit measured countries' peacefulness based on wide range of indicators - 24 in all - including ease of access to "weapons of minor destruction" (guns, small explosives), military expenditure, local corruption, and the level of respect for human rights.

After compiling the Index, the researchers examined it for patterns in order to identify the "drivers" that make for peaceful societies. They found that peaceful countries often shared high levels of democracy and transparency of government, education and material well-being. While the U.S. possesses many of these characteristics, its ranking was brought down by its engagement in warfare and external conflict, as well as high levels of incarceration and homicide. The U.S.'s rank also suffered due to the large share of military expenditure from its GDP, attributed to its status as one of the world's military-diplomatic powers.

The main findings of the Global Peace Index are:

-- Peace is correlated to indicators such as income, schooling and the level of regional integration
-- Peaceful countries often shared high levels of transparency of government and low corruption
-- Small, stable countries which are part of regional blocs are most likely to get a higher ranking

The Index is the brainchild of Australian IT entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Killelea.

"The objective of the Global Peace Index was to go beyond a crude measure of wars by systematically exploring the texture of peace," explained Global Peace Index President, Mr. Clyde McConaghy, speaking in Washington. "The Index provides a quantitative measure of peacefulness that is comparable over time, and we hope it will inspire and influence world leaders and governments to further action."

The Index has already won the support of an influential and distinguished group of supporters, many of whom are dedicated to promoting global peace, including former U.S. President James Carter, the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Richard Branson and Harriet Fulbright of the Fulbright Centre.

"This Index stands to broaden our very definition of what peace is, as well as how to achieve it," said Fulbright. "Peace isn't just the absence of war; it's the absence of violence."
"Countries need to become more peaceful to solve the major challenges that the world faces - from climate change to overpopulation and sustainability," said Mr. McConaghy.
"We hope that the findings of the Global Peace Index will act as a catalyst for increased funding to study peace and for governments and industry to take policy action," he added.

121 GPI rankings

Countries most at peace ranked first


Rank Country Score
1 Norway 1.357
2 New Zealand 1.363
3 Denmark 1.377
4 Ireland 1.396
5 Japan 1.413
6 Finland 1.447
7 Sweden 1.478
8 Canada 1.481
9 Portugal 1.481
10 Austria 1.483
11 Belgium 1.498
12 Germany 1.523
13 Czech Republic 1.524
14 Switzerland 1.526
15 Slovenia 1.539
16 Chile 1.568
17 Slovakia 1.571
18 Hungary 1.575
19 Bhutan 1.611
20 Netherlands 1.620
21 Spain 1.633
22 Oman 1.641
23 Hong Kong 1.657
24 Uruguay 1.661
25 Australia 1.664
26 Romania 1.682
27 Poland 1.683
28 Estonia 1.684
29 Singapore 1.692
30 Qatar 1.702
31 Costa Rica 1.702
32 South Korea 1.719
33 Italy 1.724
34 France 1.729
35 Vietnam 1.729
36 Taiwan 1.731
37 Malaysia 1.744
38 United Arab
Emirates 1.747
39 Tunisia 1.762
40 Ghana 1.765
41 Madagascar 1.766
42 Botswana 1.786
43 Lithuania 1.788
44 Greece 1.791
45 Panama 1.798
46 Kuwait 1.818
47 Latvia 1.848
48 Morocco 1.893
49 United Kingdom 1.898
50 Mozambique 1.909
51 Cyprus 1.915
52 Argentina 1.923
53 Zambia 1.930
54 Bulgaria 1.936
55 Paraguay 1.946
56 Gabon 1.952
57 Tanzania 1.966
58 Libya 1.967
59 Cuba 1.968
60 China 1.980
61 Kazakhstan 1.995
62 Bahrain 1.995
63 Jordan 1.997
64 Namibia 2.003
65 Senegal 2.017
66 Nicaragua 2.020
67 Croatia 2.030
68 Malawi 2.038
69 Bolivia 2.052
70 Peru 2.056
71 Equatorial
Guinea 2.059
72 Moldova 2.059
73 Egypt 2.068
74 Dominican
Republic 2.071
75 Bosnia and
Herzegovina 2.089
76 Cameroon 2.093
77 Syria 2.106
78 Indonesia 2.111
79 Mexico 2.125
80 Ukraine 2.150
81 Jamaica 2.164
82 Macedonia 2.170
83 Brazil 2.173
84 Serbia 2.181
85 Cambodia 2.197
86 Bangladesh 2.219
87 Ecuador 2.219
88 Papua New
Guinea 2.223
89 El Salvador 2.244
90 Saudi Arabia 2.246
91 Kenya 2.258
92 Turkey 2.272
93 Guatemala 2.285
94 Trinidad and
Tobago 2.286
95 Yemen 2.309
96 United States
of America 2.317
97 Iran 2.320
98 Honduras 2.390
99 South Africa 2.399
100 Philippines 2.428
101 Azerbaijan 2.448
102 Venezuela 2.453
103 Ethiopia 2.479
104 Uganda 2.489
105 Thailand 2.491
106 Zimbabwe 2.495
107 Algeria 2.503
108 Myanmar 2.524
109 India 2.530
110 Uzbekistan 2.542
111 Sri Lanka 2.575
112 Angola 2.587
113 Cote d'Ivoire 2.638
114 Lebanon 2.662
115 Pakistan 2.697
116 Colombia 2.770
117 Nigeria 2.898
118 Russia 2.903
119 Israel 3.033
120 Sudan 3.182
121 Iraq 3.437