What can take Somalia out of tribalism, anarchy, religious extremism, perpetual poverty and warmongering? I think we need to look for answers in European history. There were times when Europe was in the Somali (even African and Middle-Eastern) condition. They redeemed themselves through, many, but roughly three important processes.
1) The reformation. Martin Luther's reformational doctrine of religion took European religiosity out of dogma and theocracy and helped form an atmosphere in which religion was not used to tyrannize the non-religious, but to keep religion where it belongs, between God/Allah and the individual.
2) The renaissance. During the enlightenment, the encouragement of free thought and discovery, the foundations for modern science, philosophy and political theory was semented. This period is especially interesting for Somalis (I think), because Europeans looked southwards and based parts of their new worldview on the scientific and philosophical works of Muslim thinkers. This resulted in modern medicine, psychology, democracy, human equality, the welfare state and all the other reasons the Western world became the place we wanted to go to when our country collapsed.
3) The industrialization and the industrial revolution.
All of these three processes happened because of each other and gave us in rough and simple terms the Western world we have today.
My question is, are there anyone here who think that Somalia would be a worse place if it, hypothetically, underwent this journey in the next 100-200 years? Anyone who think Somalia would've accelerated into prosperity and modernity? And why should Somalia not do as Europeans did during the renaissance and learn from other successful civilizations?
Stagnation comes from a refusal to admit ones own shortcomings and learn from the maneuvers of others. We can only imagine how the medieval and barbaric Europe would've looked like had it not sought education and insight from the Islamic world. Somalia needs new ideas and a new path.
What do you think? Do disagree, but then do argue
