Given all the challenges we face (Social, Economic, etc.) and the response from the current and past administrations (whether their responses have been good or bad for the country); is if fair to say that the DR is a failed state?
If yes, why?
If not, why not?
Please no insults.
Than you for your comments.

To answer your question I'd say no. As stated by someone I assume to be La Chilidrina (could I be wrong) we're far above the countries listed due to infrastructure, development, growing economy, etc. but we have an insane amount of corruption, centralized development (as stated by HateroPardo and others), uncontrolled immigration, being pimped by our government and others, and the list goes on of obstacles to overcome.

I agree. There are several other countries that fit the description of failed state to a much better degree than the DR--that being said, I still feel that there is some underlying element that keeps us from moving forward. Sometimes it feels as if the rest of the world is moving forward but us. We seem to take "un pasito pa' lante...y dos pasos atras..."

Failed? Maybe. But failing? Definitely.

1. Eight years ago our hotel had no bars on the window and no wall around the gardens and yard and no robber problem. Now we have bars and walls with broken glass on top. When we do catch a thief the cops and the District Attorney do not do a damn thing. There is NO law and order here. That is a failed state.
2. Government corruption that is growing and seems unstoppable. That is a failed state.
3. There is twice has much land that has been titled than exists in this country. That is a failed state. Even if you have a Title, chances are someone else does to.
4. I know of people who have had to hire 24 hour armed guards to prevent people from moving onto their land and claiming it. That is a failed state.
5. The government collects an obscene amount of tax via the IBTIS 16%. It is obviously not being spent on education, roads or police. Most of it just disappears. There is no real independent accounting. That is a failed state.
6. To build anything requires repeated bribes being paid at all levels. That is a failed state.
7. A town like Cabarete can be taken over by a mafia type cartel who then increase garbage pick up rates by 500% and can nail you a dozen different ways. They are incredibly corrupt and no one is able to stop them. That is a failed state.
8. Thee is no death penalty. In China the shot the deputy mayor of Beijing for corruption. I suggest they start doing that here to any government offcial caught taking a bribe. After a week or so, with a couple of dead ones, corruption would stop. At this time a Dominican can shoot a gringo and not even be charged. It happened in Cabarete. All of this indicates a failed state.

I could go on. So why am I here? I would rather live here than Canada, which has too much government interference, very high taxes, and a lousy medical care system and very cold weather!

freewilly I could go on. So why am I here? I would rather live here than Canada, which has too much government interference, very high taxes, and a lousy medical care system and very cold weather!

and no striptease bar which is the christian right favorite hobby


on a serious note i started a thread the other day where i stated that we are in need of A MANO DURA. most poster disagree with me but that is the way i see it at this moment. Balaguer once said ESTE ES UN PAIS RICO MALA MENTE ADMINISTRADO.

No, the Dominican Republic is not a failed state due to the fact that we are increasing our infrastructure and resources for our economic benefit. According to Aneki.com, there's a list of the Top 100 Poorest Countries of the World, and the DR is NOT listed among them which means we are NOT a failed state.

A list means nothing. I gave a number of valid reasons why it is a faling state. You answered none of them. I should add one more. The serious problems are not being dealt with.

What are the reasons, VALID REASONS I should specify?

I don't think it is a failed state, yet. I think that label describes something much more serious, and violent. In a failed state there is no legitimate leadership, and factions compete violently and without established norms to grab whatever shreds of power and institutions are left.

DR's problem is corrupt and incompetent institutions, but at least the institutions exist. There IS a state, it has a police force and armed military. There is a stable political system by which the factions of society resolve who gets what. Now these may all be corrupt and they may not serve the people and interests that we believe they should serve...BUT the institutions are undeniably there and exercising power to someone's benefit ... so de facto there is a functioning state.

Unfortunately if they carry on the way will cabarete describes it will not be long before some factions/interests decide the system is beyond repair. THEN we may see the kind of volatile, violent situation deserving the name failed state.

See the list on the fourth post. Infrastructure means NOTHING (specially if this only caters for the high consumerism of a few) if the needs of the population for good salaries, security, low and stable cost of living, adequate health, electrical and education services, good maintainment of roads and buildings, and most of all, adequate distribution of the wealth are NOT MET. Which is the case with the DR nowadays. I suggest you to not be misled by all the stylish buildings and SUV's that you see on Santo Domingo, Santiago and Punta Cana, and instead, put your gaze on our campos and small towns, where the MAJORITY of our population still lives. Or if you don't want to get away from SDQ and STI, to look at the increasing size of the belts of poverty represented by the barrios surrounding these cities. SDQ is becoming more and more like Rio de Janeiro, and not by the latter's qualities, mind you, but by the similarity of the violence seen on our barrios with the one seen on the cariocan favelas. I'm as patriotic as they come, but if I have to say something, then I'll have to say this: make it a priority to thank the Lord every day of your single life that you live in Boston, and don't have to see our grim reality on a daily basis as I'm forced to do, specially when it comes to enduring apagones (blackouts) on this dreadful climate. In other words, thank the maker for every single thing (no matter how insignificant it might look) that you take for granted in your daily life in the US.