FREE ESSAY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZIMBABWE:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZIMBABWE:

Economic Development in Zimbabwe:
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since 1980, the year in which the United Kingdom repealed its imperialistic claims to the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. 
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 km 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).
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 km. 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%.
Zimbabwe's history dates back to the 9th century AD, 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.
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 Nationalist 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 UN 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. 
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 country's chance of becoming dependent on a trade partner.
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.
Bibliography
Bibliography:
Africa Online: Zimbabwe. (http://www.africaonline.co.zw/)
Africa South of the Sahara. London: Europa Publications Ltd., 1995. 
Global Studies. Africa. Guilford, Conn.: Dushkin Pub. Group, 1993. 
Great Zimbabwe: Mystery City of Black Africa. [Videorecording] Huntsville, TX.
Educational Video Network, 1993.
World Tourism Directory. Munchen, New Providence: K. G. Saur and Reed Travel Group in
Association with the World Tourism Organization, 1995.