See the purpose of the "test" in the quote at the bottom... this is from a liberal touchy feely anti-war group.

It says they are indicators... of what? What "test" did these states fail?

In my opinion, the list is fairly accurate given a broad list of indicators. But the main idea is that what constitutes a failed state is a weak government that has no central control over its territory. The states that are given "alert" status are obviously are states who do not fulfill the criteria of Max Weber's definition of a state which is an entity that has a monopoly over the legitimate usage of force (excluding militia, vigilantes, and those who have no real authority to enforce the law). Essentially a failed state is a country in anarchy.

The listed states are states that have widespread anti-government guerrilla activity and are engaged in an shooting war. Example: Nepal is having problems combating the Maoist Rebels.

Sudan is no doubt a failed state since there are numerous boiling conflicts in Southern Sudan and in the western regions between the Government and rebels. Uganda: Issues regarding with the Lord Resistance Army

Have to admit nothing in that list is a surprise although China and India appearing so high on the list is interesting.

Most of the country that are given "warning" status are mainly developing countries. However China and India listed within the lower regions within the "warning" category is quite accurate since both countries attract an unusually large amount of FDI and undergone massive transformation. However India and China should be listed closely to one another. Two of these countries are facing similar problems and all of them on the same scale.

India has serious social problems, inequalities, inefficiencies within its parliamentary system and growing tensions between religious groups. The recent bombings in temples and trains are serious warnings of a failed state. Nepal is not the only country dealing with a Maoist insurgency. Indian Maoists has become a growing problem where they have controlled several certain parts of the north-east, mainly forest areas, where Government control nearly cease to exist.

China is a complex case. The difference with India is an absence of terrorism, armed resistance groups or rebel groups. However, China was a failed state 5-6 times in its long course of history. The recent experimentation of capitalism have invited rampant corruption in the often neglected and poorer regions in China and even worst slavery. Currently there is conflict between the left and right in China to which course of its development path must it choose. The Tienanmen Square protests in 1989 were not largely pro-democracy protests but were socialist/anti-corruption demonstrations. That very moment drew China closer of becoming a failed state.

Its a comparison between the number of fit women and the number of mingers a country has...

WTF is a minger???

I'm surprised China was so low on the list.

Apparently you don't know the extent and degree of what constitutes a failed state. And if you believe so, why the do you have to live there in the first place?

Locked, under review