Government instability has negative impacts on citizens no matter in which nation it occurs. In Africa, many

Question

nations face government instability that stems from European colonization and the partitioning of Africa. There
have been many struggles in attempting to govern these nations since. Government instability often results in
challenges with access to education. Government instability can also result in challenges with combating diseases
and famine. This is especially the case when a nation is often undergoing civil wars.
Nations without a stable government often neglect their education system. For many unstable governments,
education is not a top priority. During civil wars, going to school can be dangerous, so many will not attend.
Additionally, during civil wars, governments will likely not invest its money in the education system. The nations
that do not invest in its education system typically have a lower standard of living.
Distribution of medicine and fighting diseases can prove to be difficult in nations without a stable government.
Unstable nations have difficulty adequately funding treatments. They will also have difficulty funding prevention
education to its citizens. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is an example. A large portion of all new cases of HIV/AIDS are
found in the Sub-Saharan Africa region and Zimbabwe. While these infections may happen in nations regardless of
its government stability, those with unstable governments simply do not react quickly or effectively when
compared to those with stable governments. For example, Botswana was one of the first nations in its region to
offer free treatment to all its citizens living with HIV/AIDS. It paved the way for other nations to follow its footsteps
in treatment and prevention plans. Botswana still ranks as one of the top nations with HIV cases in the world,
however, it is making drastic declines in the number of cases because of its widespread treatment plans.
In addition to impacting the ability to combat diseases, government instability can also impact the ability to combat famine. In many cases, military conflicts will negatively impact farming, trade, and agricultural practices.
This can be seen in Uganda. Uganda's civil unrest between its ethnic groups have impacted its trade and
agricultural practices, resulting in famine. In many African nations, this is amplified by drought. Drought is a
common obstacle faced in Africa. However, when a nation is at war or in conflict, it tends to spend money on that
conflict instead of investing money in drought-relief efforts. Further, many nations in conflict cause people to
become refugees. These refugees will flee to neighboring nations and will be forced to compete for scarce
resources.
During civil wars, the nation's government is likely to spend its money on weapons and war efforts than on
education or disease and famine relief efforts. In addition to money being invested elsewhere, there is destruction
of homes, schools, and towns caused by the conflict. Further, many are wounded and killed, leaving orphan
children and broken families. The frequent destruction of the wars makes it nearly impossible for the nation's
education and economy to recover.

Government instability has negative impacts on its citizens
Supporting Detail #1

Answer 1

Supporting Detail #1: Neglect of Education Systems

In nations experiencing government instability, education systems often suffer due to a lack of prioritization and funding. Governments embroiled in civil wars or political turmoil typically fail to allocate resources toward educational development, viewing it as a secondary concern compared to immediate security and military needs. For example, during periods of conflict, many schools may be forced to close because they are unsafe, and parents are unwilling to send their children to educational institutions that could be targets of violence. This not only results in a generation of youth lacking access to education but also leads to long-term consequences for economic growth and social stability. As schools are destroyed or repurposed for military use, the ability to educate future generations diminishes, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and instability. Consequently, countries with a degraded education system often find it challenging to build a skilled workforce necessary for development and progress, ultimately hindering their capacity to recover from crises once stability is achieved.