Economic Growth In Zimbabwe Essay, Research Paper
The country of Zimbabwe is one of the most economically
developed on the African continent . A fairly young political entity,
Zimbabwe has only enjoyed recognized autonomy since 1980, the year in
which the United Kingdom repealed its imperialistic claims to the
African nation . Despite its youth the country has achieved a level of
economic development uncharacteristic of sub-Saharan African nations.
Second only to South Africa in economic development, Zimbabwe’s
economic system is one indicative of a transitional country, a country
making the transition from dependency underdevelopment to self-reliant
industrialization. The purpose of this essay is to make a cursory but
adequate examination of Zimbabwean socio-economic and political
system, as means to analyzing the countries economic development. The
ultimate purpose of this study is to provide a model of the structure
necessary to achieve economic development where none previously
existed. Zimbabwe is an appropriate model because the dynamics of
underdevelopment to development in this country are readily apparent.
This model can be useful in understanding underdevelopment in other so
called “third-world” countries and in determining what is necessary
for these countries to make the transition to industrialization.
Geography
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in the southern, sub-Saharan
area of the African continent bordered by South Africa to the South,
Botswana to the West, Mozambique to the East and Zambia to the North.
With an area of 391,090 km2 Zimbabwe is only slightly larger than the
state of Colorado. Harare is Zimbabwe’s capital and largest city with
a population of 1,100,000. Containing vast amounts of rare
mineralogical resources and possessing a favorable growing climate
Zimbabwe’s economy is drawn almost equally between the mining of
minerals ($2.2 billion) and the production of staples and cash crops
($2.1 billion).
People
Zimbabweans are comprised of two primary ethnic groups, the
Shona, comprising 74% of the population and the Ndebele comprising
20%. Other ethnic black groups and Asians make up 4% of the population
while whites make up just over 1% of the population. Zimbabwe has a
population of 10.35 million people with a population density of 24
persons per km2. 1992 census figures estimate Zimbabwe’s growth at
3.0% with 90% of this growth rate within the Shona group. This 3.0%
growth is quite rapid given its relation to the countries declining
annual growth rate of -15%.
History
Zimbabwe’s history dates back to the 9th century A.D., the
believed period in which many great buildings were built, buildings
clearly indicative of an early and great civilization. Of the many
sites the most impressive is the Great Stone House or Great Zimbabwe
the source of the countries name. Despite the impressive nature of the
Great Zimbabwe and the other building sites, it is believed that the
civilization that created them did not survive to see the new
millennium.
Some 900 years after the construction of the Great Zimbabwe
many other sights were built as Zimbabwe became the object of British
colonialism in 1888. It was in this year that John Cecil Rhodes
obtained mineral rights for the British throne and began the process
of bringing Zimbabwe home to Great Britain. Pleased with his
accomplishment the throne honored Rhodes by lending his name to the
area, now calling it Rhodesia. Headed by Rhodes the British South
Africa Company (BSA) was chartered in 1889 with the responsibility of
colonizing the areas of Northern and Southern Rhodesia and bringing
back to the Kingdom the vast mineralogical resources Rhodesia had to
offer.
Although a colony, throughout the existence of its charter
Rhodesia enjoyed self-governing and perceived autonomy. The United
Kingdom reserved the right to intervene in the policies of Rhodesia at
any prompting, but this right was rarely employed leaving Rhodesia’s
autonomy all but assumed. The perceived autonomy the nation enjoyed
allowed for the emergence of factions interested in developing
Rhodesia’s mineralogical and agricultural potential for the purpose of
stimulating domestic growth only. Although growth would benefit the
country as a whole, it would benefit whites specifically by design. An
apartheid-type land apportionment act passed in 1934 allotted key
resource rich areas to whites only. The perceived autonomy and racists
nature of Rhodesia would have great implications late in the countries
political future.
Politics
By 1960 Rhodesia was a country of two factions: the ruling
white minority who wanted complete independence from the United
Kingdom and the indigenous African majority who wanted greater control
of their country and an end to institutional racism. On November 11,
1965 in a step to hasten along political change white progressives
announced the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) thereby
declaring their independence from Great Britain . The British
government was not hostile to the UDI but did insist that the
Rhodesian government demonstrate its intention to move toward free and
democratic majority rule. Considering the majority of Rhodesia was
African the ruling whites were diametrically opposed to any such form
of majority rule government and refused to meet Great Britain’s
conditions of independence.
On December 16, 1966 Rhodesia made history by being the first
country subject to United Nations economic sanctions, suffering a
complete embargo on key exports and imports . With a dilapidating
economy and African discontent with the white ruling minority Rhodesia
fell into a period of economic and political turmoil breeding
uncertainty and general political instability.
In 1974 Rhodesia’s two primary black nationalists parties
combined to form a front against Rhodesia’s governing policy. Robert
Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and Joshua Nkomo’s
Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) united together to form a
“Patriotic Front” against the segregationist regime of Prime Minister
Ian Smith . In 1976, under great political, economic, and social
pressure Smith ceded to foreign and domestic demands and agreed to
majority rule in principle. Through diplomatic channels and under
British auspices Rhodesia made the transition to majority rule and on
December 21, 1979 political reforms were unofficially agreed upon. As
a condition of this agreement Rhodesia was granted independence from
the Commonwealth, and all U.N. sanctions were lifted with a decree
that Rhodesia was to be internationally recognized as a political
state.
In late February, 1980 free democratic election were held in
Rhodesia for the first time with Mugabe’s ZANU(PF) achieving an
absolute majority. Upon the victory of his party Mugabe was asked to
form the first government of the country of Zimbabwe. On April 18,
1980 the British Government formally granted independence to the
former Rhodesia and four months later Zimbabwe was indoctrinated as a
member of the United Nations.
Zimbabwe’s political system exists to this day as democratic
and majoritarian all implemented through a parliamentary system.
Robert Mugabe remains as President and utilizes a foreign policy of
non-alignment. Despite this Zimbabwe is a member of the Organization
of African Unity (OAU) and performs primary trade with its neighboring
African state South Africa. It is the period from 1980 to the present
that is most fundamental in understanding Zimbabwe’s economic system
because it is in this period that Zimbabwe’s economic structure best
reveals itself.
Economics
Zimbabwe’s economic structure is one of great potential. In
the years prior to its independence Zimbabwe put great emphasis in
developing its mining industry and as a result it is one of the most
developed in Africa. The mining of such minerals as copper, nickel,
gold, and metallurgical-grade ferrochromite is responsible for nearly
half the countries $4.9 billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) . The
other half of Zimbabwe’s GDP is generated primarily in the
agricultural sector with the majority of this produced at subsistence
levels by most of the population.
Zimbabwe clearly has the potential to generate agriculture
beyond the subsistence level and thereby eliminate any degree of
shortage. In any event subsistence would be sufficient to eliminate
shortage if not for recent devastating droughts. Zimbabwe’s mineral
export industry is key to the nations developmental success. Although
small, the countries mining industry is modernized and strategically
developed toward exports. Many paved roads link mines and other
industries together that complement mining such as heavy machinery.
Also, the areas within the vicinity of the mines are highly developed
and urbanized to ensure an adequate and able workforce. Finally,
Zimbabwe participates in non-aligned trade for non-strategic products
such as textiles. This greatly reduces the countries chance of
becoming dependent on a trade partner.
Conclusion
In many ways Zimbabwe is a model for third-world economic
development. Although not yet fully developed Zimbabwe clearly has the
potential to be a full fledged developed nation. Beyond its vast
resources Zimbabwe is structured in a way to promote development. This
fact in and of itself distinguishes Zimbabwe from most other Lesser
Developed Countries (LDC). Zimbabwe’s economic structure is one in
which they are essentially self-sufficient and trade only for profit
or for consumer goods. Also they perform trade with many partners with
no single partner comprising garnering more than 15% of import or
export goods. By structuring the Zimbabwe’s economic system in a way
that keeps its partners diversified and its imports non-strategic,
Mugabe has successfully led his nation to the path of development. The
barriers left to full development are quite minimal compared to the
ones already dominated, The structure of Zimbabwe’s economic system is
truly a model of economic development.