Hollow Shell

[safooh]

I came through this idiom when i was reading a politic article as follows:
"Without human security and human development, effective governance and democracy are arguably HOLLOW SHELLS".

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by safooh

I came through this idiom when i was reading a politic article as follows:
"Without human security and human development, effective governance and democracy are arguably HOLLOW SHELLS".

This metaphor comes from animals with shells, like snails and shellfish. You find empty shells on the beach - they have no life in them.
A "hollow shell" is something that has the external form of something, but lacks the life inside it. It has been "shelled" or gutted of its real meaning. It does not perform its proper purpose.