This is absolutely right without some sort of rule of law humans cannot survive or cooperate. Politics is settled in elections but you can't even reach this stage without the rule of law. There no escaping it either as you can see the laws in physics, chemistry, electromagnetism, cosmology, etc. Without it, even the natural law life wouldn't exist.
Even 2 people man and woman marry on law and that's two people, whether oral or written. How can a nation be discussing politics and clan and culture when your not even discussing the most important stage of everything the rule of law and the institutions who enforce it, the quality of those institutions and the public confidence in it. That's why Somalis will resort to guns because they don't have any confidence in the rule of law hence uncivilized, no civilization can emerge.
As Neil duly noted it isn't culture or tribe or social systems that's the problem in dysfunctional countries, it's the rule of law. Fixing the identity or unproductive values won't help you one bit as they will still not have confidence in the nation state due to absence of rule of law. This is universal only successful countries are unified on how strong, robust, and public confidence is in the rule of law, it's not their culture or identity is the issue. Anyone can be the most tribal and nasty person character wise but if I'm inside a robust rule of law it won't harm anyone.