Exactly...except I would say no production and no distribution system. Farms were left to ruin and overgrowth. The white farmers emigrated, many to Zambia. Mugabe is now dead, thank God, but the Zimbabweans still struggle to have any economy.
Not a true generality. Plenty of black farmers in Zambia. But poor and limited by lack of machinery and irrigation. In Zimbabwe, the whites managed the farms and the blacks were undoubtedly skilled labor, but if you unplug the management and the crew is left to plan, budget, etc. without training, it does not succeed. Similarly with maintenance of large utilities. Labor is there to do the work. Management is there to determine how to do the work, when to do the work, how to repair the machinery, how to coordinate the work, how to pay for the work, and what work to do. In short, Mugabe was a vicious idiot, not to realize this.
Aliko Dangote in NIgeria created an immense business in cement and concrete, as one example. It is very instructive to simply take a photo tour of all the African capital cities (type a name, search, and pick "images"). Some of them are surprisingly modern, even more so than ours. No whites required. Try Lagos, Nigeria, for example.
I'm married to a Zambian and have thereby inherited an extensive family! My wife grew up on a small farm. One of my stepsons comes from a farming family in Eastern Province. I've been there on a 10-day visit (medical and financial problems have kept me home since) but I get lots of intel from my wife who is over there currently. Plenty of poverty and backwardness, but the normal distribution function prevails and there are still people who are sharp and decent.
Keep Africa in mind. Every place has its problems---including the United States. I can recommend Zambia as a safe place to visit. Absolutely no racial tensions, with whites and blacks busy with their lives. In that respect, much more at ease than life here in America. Some hardship, but not usually found in decent hotels. Great wildlife tours. Victoria Falls (stupendous). The dollar goes far. Everyone speaks English, with more or less accent. More westerners have moved in over the past few years, so the general standard of quality in products and services has risen.
And, for those who are interested, it may be the home of the most beautiful women in the world (but I am biased by exposure).
Exactly...except I would say no production and no distribution system. Farms were left to ruin and overgrowth. The white farmers emigrated, many to Zambia. Mugabe is now dead, thank God, but the Zimbabweans still struggle to have any economy.
Which to me raises the question, are native Africans incapable of managing large scale farms? ....or for that matter, any large business?
Not a true generality. Plenty of black farmers in Zambia. But poor and limited by lack of machinery and irrigation. In Zimbabwe, the whites managed the farms and the blacks were undoubtedly skilled labor, but if you unplug the management and the crew is left to plan, budget, etc. without training, it does not succeed. Similarly with maintenance of large utilities. Labor is there to do the work. Management is there to determine how to do the work, when to do the work, how to repair the machinery, how to coordinate the work, how to pay for the work, and what work to do. In short, Mugabe was a vicious idiot, not to realize this.
Aliko Dangote in NIgeria created an immense business in cement and concrete, as one example. It is very instructive to simply take a photo tour of all the African capital cities (type a name, search, and pick "images"). Some of them are surprisingly modern, even more so than ours. No whites required. Try Lagos, Nigeria, for example.
I'll take your word for it, as I've never been to Africa and have no plans to go there. Interesting answer though.
I'm married to a Zambian and have thereby inherited an extensive family! My wife grew up on a small farm. One of my stepsons comes from a farming family in Eastern Province. I've been there on a 10-day visit (medical and financial problems have kept me home since) but I get lots of intel from my wife who is over there currently. Plenty of poverty and backwardness, but the normal distribution function prevails and there are still people who are sharp and decent.
Keep Africa in mind. Every place has its problems---including the United States. I can recommend Zambia as a safe place to visit. Absolutely no racial tensions, with whites and blacks busy with their lives. In that respect, much more at ease than life here in America. Some hardship, but not usually found in decent hotels. Great wildlife tours. Victoria Falls (stupendous). The dollar goes far. Everyone speaks English, with more or less accent. More westerners have moved in over the past few years, so the general standard of quality in products and services has risen.
And, for those who are interested, it may be the home of the most beautiful women in the world (but I am biased by exposure).