The nation-state system is founded on the concept of holding a monopoly on the use of force. In countries such as Haiti, most of South America, the Middle East, and Central Africa, the governments have either lost their legitimacy or are in danger of losing it, leading to a loss of centralized control over the use of force. Consequently, it appears that the nation-state system, once robust, is now declining due to the political class perpetuating poverty, which in turn fuels decentralized violence.