June 4, 2017
The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Southern Rhodesia) is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. Zimbabwe is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east.
Zimbabwe received independence in 1980 and Robert Mugabe won a landslide victory, assuming power as the head of government. This, for Zimbabwe, was the beginning of the end as this North Korean trained socialist began initiating policies that would ultimately destroy the most prosperous nation in Africa.
Before the year 2000 the economy of Zimbabwe was healthy and produced a surplus. This was primarily due to mineral exports and an agricultural output that produced a surplus and a net gain. Zimbabwe was once known as the bread basket of Africa. The Zimbabwe economy declined 5 percent in 2000, 8 percent in 2001, 12 percent in 2002 and 18 percent in 2003. The downward spiral of the economy has been attributed mainly to mismanagement, the corruption of the Mugabe regime, and the eviction of more than 4,000 white farmers in the controversial land redistribution of 2000 (there go those socialists again, redistributing wealth).
Inflation rose from 32 percent in 1998 to 150,000 percent in 2007. The money of Zimbabwe is worthless and hyperinflation has turned Zimbabwe into a barter nation. Robert Mugabe is still alive at age 93 and running Zimbabwe, or what is left of it. If ever a case could be made for term limits this is it.
At present a high percentage of the population is afflicted with AIDS and a country which formerly had a surplus of food now has 80 percent of the population considered as malnourished. 95 percent of the formerly productive land lies barren and unused. Ninety percent of the remaining population has no work. The Ndebele people, the second most populous ethnic group, have almost all returned to their South African Zulu roots, but, at the present time, a return to South Africa is no picnic either.
This is what socialism does – it destroys societies. It takes wealth away from productive people and gives it to unproductive people who squander the wealth. The net result is that only a few elites in the power structure have anything, everyone else is poor. No starker example of this can be seen than the difference between North and South Korea. The effects of Socialism vs. Capitalism are clearly displayed in the comparison between these two formerly united countries. It is a tragic contrast but available for viewing to anyone who cares to look. This is not rocket science – go visit both countries and look around (if you dare).
Lewis Shupe, Founder
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