AH Challenge: Prosperous Zimbabwe

mtg999, I'm a big believer in the resource trap. People are regularly telling me that if the mineral wealth of certain African countries could be shared around then everybody would be in paradise. But when wealth is so concentrated it is easy to control and exploit by strong-arm groups. That's why I suggested an agricultural sector which produces surplus even in bad periods and a range of resources, a bit of this and a bit of that. With one type of mining in the north, another similarly important but not dominant type in the south and commercial farming in other areas (for example) a strong-arm type would struggle to gain a monoply on the wealth of the country and pervert it's use. Diffuse the sources of power and you diffuse the exercise of that power in order to maintain it.
 
actually, you can have Mugabe and a prosperous Zimbabwe both... the place was prosperous during the first part of his reign. The trouble all began when he sought increased powers for his office through a popular vote, and it was rejected... he blamed the whites and began the whole farm confiscation disaster. Prior to that, there was a broad agreement to confiscate white farms, but compensate them for the seed/animals/equipment, and break them up and give them to black farmers. Carry this plan out, and chances are that Zimbabwe would be prosperous today...
 
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