Even after the government created a hyperinflation by printing the money it borrowed and spent, that ultimately destroyed the economy of Zimbabwe, citizens of Zimbabwe still don’t understand the solution to their social and economic ills. Cathy Buckle writes the following from Zimbabwe about her attendance of an ‘All Stakeholders’ municipal meeting in her local town:
At the start of the public part of the meeting residents were asked by the council to ‘keep emotions down’ but when it came our turn to talk there was an explosion of fireworks .‘You are failing to meet your obligations’ was the message repeated again and again by residents to the council officials. Roads are falling apart; litter is piling up; refuse is everywhere; the street lights haven’t worked for years; sewage blockages are everywhere; water is only available for a couple of hours a day, trees are being chopped down in every direction. Month after month residents pay for services that they aren’t receiving and this is one angry town. Even the representative from the War Veterans Association spoke for almost half an hour and said aid that our beautiful town had become a filthy growth point.
Once again, all the services that are collapsing and not being delivered are the responsibility of the state.
The people of Zimbabwe needs to realise that the private sector can provide these services much more effectively than the government can, and if they choose to cut out the government the delivery of these services will become more reliable and even cheaper!
What was Bob Mugabe up to during all of this?
The President had gone to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to attend a UN summit on Sustainable Development. He was accompanied by a delegation of ninety two people…President Mugabe’s trip to Brazil was costing the country seven million US dollars.
So even after creating hyperinflation, starvation, social ills, mass unemployment, and massive emigration to neighbouring countries, the state is still in control and lording it up because the public have not taken Etienne de la Boetie’s essay written in 1552-53 to heart and withdrawn consent.
Sadly, there isn’t always light at the end of the tunnel.
