In the religious wars that plagued Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, the aim was to achieve states confessing only one religion. In the nationalist conflicts that racked Europe from the late 18th to the mid-20th centuries, the aim was to achieve ethnic homogeneity.
Judged by these parameters, Somalia should be one of the world's most perfect states – 99 per cent of its population is Sunni Muslim and more than 90 per cent is ethnic Somali. Yet Somalia's reputation is as the world's No. 1 failed state. Clearly, religious and ethnic homogeneity are not enough to overcome humanity's perverse capacity to find differences worthy of slaughter.
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