A Tale of Two Countries: Botswana and Zimbabwe
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- Опубліковано 20 чер 2024
- According to Prof. Scott Beaulier, when most people think of Africa and the standard of living it provides, they tend to think of the entire continent as a whole rather than the individual countries. This type of thinking, however, overlooks some large differences that exist between African countries. Specifically, when comparing Botswana to other African countries, there is a stark contrast in living conditions. Prof. Scott Beaulier analyzes the data and explains why these differences in living standards exist.
Credits: This lecture was delivered in 2009 at the Metropolitan State College of Denver School of Business, as part of the Exploring Economic Freedom Lecture Series, directed by Prof. Alexandre Padilla. This video was produced and directed by Scott Houck, and edited by Adrienne Christy. Video production provided by the Educational Technology Center at Metropolitan State College of Denver. Video used by LearnLiberty.org with permission.
Watch more videos: lrnlbty.co/y5tTcY
As a citizen of Botswana I must say the video is a very reflective academic and strategic analysis of the Botswana situation, the success is based on strong institutions, respect for rule of law, financial and economic prudence, conservatism and to a larger extent minding our own business.
A sound strategy for any country or person-"rule of law", "economic prudence", "minding our own business".
true
sounds very libertarian
I'd say economic freedom and Libertarianism , definitely not conservatism.
Institutional Strenght is great.
But leaves out the colonial history and its legacy on the state of governance
Thank you!! True that & well articulated, respect for the rule of law, political stability & open free market are key elements in the success & prosperity of a country. I'm a Motswana & can testify to that, You said the truth as it is, you're not an imperialist
Zimbabwe: $589 per capita. Botswana: $17,000. Please tell me capitalism doesn't work!
@@dovkrer2429 True, but Zim. got the independence nearly 40 years ago. There is no doubt white colonization damaged the country but since then they have made the situation hopeless. How many years they need to move on?
Capitalism is not the reason why Botswana is prospering, good leadership is. Wouldn't having nationalized resources as Botswana have, and probably the only few of the african countries that does be considered as the opposite of capitalism?
@@TheIrbe Since when is having some of the most economic freedom considered the opposite of capitalism?
@@karlpj1 white colonisation "damaged" the country???? Did you forget the great IAN SMITH, PM of Rhodesia which kept it prosperous amidst sanctions imposed by US and UK and the Bush Wars by Marxists led by Mugabe who finally converted once-prosperous Rhodesia into poor pathetic Zimbabwe!
@@finndegraaf2707 so true, economic freedom and capitalism mean the same thing, and yes it’s only because of capitalism that any country anywhere ever becomes rich.
Thank God they didn't know we had diamonds.
I love my country.
lolz you just told them. Next time they will mention that and will send people in your country for it........
of course they knew it now before I said it,after it was discovered.
And who's "they?"
the colonialists Samuel
Thank God the leaders after independence didn't sell the diamonds for cash, keep the money, and let their people starve. That's what Hugo Chavez did with Venezuela's oil, and look at them now.
44:20 Keynesians have tried to redefine inflation as rising prices.
Inflation is not the result of printing money, Inflation IS printing money.
Rising prices are the symptom of inflation.
The others are asset bubbles, volatility, speculation, false wealth, over consumption, & a misallocation of resources.
The very small population in Botswana must have something to do with the good economy there.Also , excellent education and health care system. I was there and I loved it. Great people.
This lecture is seven years ago. I would like an update. The political climate seems to be getting less free.
Nah, still good in 2021 🙂
I'm from Botswana but it seems to me this guy just focused a lot on Botswana than Zimbabwe. He needs to re-look into Zim and stop depending on the mainstream news, the very same way he did for Bots.
Did he say anything wrong? Everything I heard was right
It might be, because in Europe (and most likely in USA too) we hear a lot (in comparison to other African countries) about the situation in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is often discussed as a role model on how to ruin your country, but we barely hear anything about countries in Africa apart from Egypt, SAR, Zimbabwe and occasionally Somalia.
Europeans might also be somewhat familiar with countries by Mediterranean sea as they might be going there on vacation.
Aside from that, barely anybody knows more than the names (if even that) of the respective countries when it comes to the rest of the Africa.
@@vulgoalias4050 They're not European colonies anymore so nobody in Europe cares about these places; they're not tourist destinations, or places to invest as a wealthy European, or even something you learn about in school. The only reason why Europeans of today know a little about the SADC countries, Egypt, other Middle east countries, Tunisia and Morroco is because it's where a lot of the money is, and is also where a lot of people have moved out of and into the west e.g. there are lots of South African immigrants in places like the UK but probably not so many Burkina Faso or Cote D'Ivoire immigrants
@@wclifton968gameplaystutorials Nice theory, but you are too dismissive of other options. While yes, immigration is a partial reason, why we know about the countries, it's not the only reason and I would say it isn't even the main reason.
Good day Prof, Referring to what is happening in Zimbabwe right now, i.e. 2018 elections and post election violence, delay in announcing results as observed by various stakeholders. I was on-point about what makes Botswana a success as I wrote in my last post i.e. "As a citizen of Botswana I must say the video is a very reflective academic and strategic analysis of the Botswana situation, the success is based on strong institutions, respect for rule of law, financial and economic prudence, conservatism and to a larger extent minding our own business.". What is happening right now in Zimbabwe reflects 1) weak institutions 2) lack of rule of law. Keep watching the Zimbabwe space and " I wish you could do another strategic comparison of the 2 countries and post it on UA-cam, after the 2018 election results have been summed up and announced". Great insightful and truly reflective work :-)
I'm a Motswana. Iv spent some time in Zim and it really is a diamond in the rough. I just pray God hears their cry and resurrects its economy. I pray I live to see it too.
Thanks to the internet, my impressions of Africa had been demystified starting with Botswana. And I have never wondered why there are no news of failed democracy, ethnic wars and crippling poverty?? The Batswana people clearly are doing very well as a developing nation.
The hopeful side is that Botswana proves that being African doesn't doom you to be poor. Letting the brilliance of the people shine through co-operation and peaceful competition works for any country, white or black.
Europeans were poor 200 years ago; I hope that, in 20 years, Zimbabwe will be on its way to being rich again.
Key to Botswana's success...British didnt know that they had diamonds, and left these people alone.
Liberia was free from imperialism. They failed. It's about policies
Nice lecture. Good to see Botswana on the rise. Hopefully Zimbabwe will soon take a turn for the better.
While I agree with many of the ideas presented in this talk, the speaker's brief characterization of Rhodesia as a "racist empire" is rather disingenuous. As far as being an empire...no...it wasn't an empire, it broke free from one, the same one that the United States broke free from. While Rhodesia admittedly had some discrimination laws and policies that tainted it's image and were morally reprehensible, the largely free society and market-oriented economic policies were the only reason Zimbabwe had any success at all to speak of. The speaker talks of Zimbabwe's success in the 1980s as if history began in 1980, when in reality Zimbabwe's initial success was simply coasting on the wealth and prosperity created by many years of good Rhodesian policies before it. The term "Breadbasket of Africa" was not coined in the 1980s, it was coined long before, during the more prosperous Rhodesian era.
+Craig Artzner Right on target I suppose the prof should be excused as he is an economist and not a historian.
Plus he's also young, and likely learned not a single shred of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe history if he went to American public schools. I know I didn't.
yep it really becomes deceptive. Besides, we have to see that AT THAT TIME white rule, notwithstanding all the undesirable elements, was a very successful option for south africa and rhodesia. There were a multitude of immoral values in the black society OF THE TIME (genocide, slavery, cannibalism, subjugation of women, dispersion of people groups), so we really have to choose our poison, and not think we can parachute back into the past with our perfect (yet constantly changing ;) ) value systems.
@@Formed123 you are completely wrong. Bostwana was just near to Rhodesia and did not suffer any of the colonization trauma of Rhodesia. The result was a society that was not fractured and broken.
@@Formed123 Good thing that the Botswana had good leadership like Sechele I to defeat the attacking white Boers. Good thing that they had good leadership like Khama III
, Sebele I and Bathoen I, the Three Dikgosi, who secured the positions of a protectorate instead of a colony under the Union of South Africa or Southern Rhodesia, bitterly due to the terrible treatment of Blacks in both countries. The success of Botswana is entirely due to its good leadership to defend its itself from white intervention. I'm not hearing white people in Botswana complaining about racism....
You will never understand how it's a blessing to be a Motswana until you are out of it. Everything is free in Botswana and there is no discrimination whatsoever. No country in the world apart from Botswana give education for free
simba smith its not free. Somebody pays for it.
+simba smith In scandinavia education is free ^^ But Botswana does seem sweet
+Chris Vanoire the government is paying for it
+simba smith Where does Botswana government get money from to pay for it?
+Otavio Limirio Farias
We pay tax
Most of the country's money come from tourism and diamonds. We are the second best diamond producer after Russia
Thanks for the great information, really appreciate it. im from Botswana and i dont know if its just your accent or not, i keep hearing you say Batswana when referring to the country... just wanted to make it clear that Batswana are the people and Botswana is the country. Thanks have a great day
American accent.
Botswana is AWESOME.
thank you, thank you, thank you for this video!
great talk, great insight into specific examples of Sub-Saharan politics and economics.
I just love this guy for telling the truth.Botswana is the best ,no matter what.
Excellent Summary of the outstanding country that is Botswana, very unlike all of Africa. Thank you professor for outlining how Botswana has become, not only one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but how the rest of Africa should mould itself to the Botswanan successful model. As a Motswana, I have always disliked being likened to the chaos that Africa in general has become. Botswana is outstanding, finally an Economist acknowledges that fact!
Eh, I am no longer sure if democracy is able to ensure freedom of markets. Most people, both the rich and the poor, will want a short term gain offered by populist reforms, rather than long term economic victory. As long as the men of government don't get in people's way, who cares how they get there?
Then again, constitutional republicanism.
TapOnX sure, give the Bourgeois Parasites/Money Grubbers even more freedom.
@@mariusmatei2946
Am surprised how with just 12km of tarmac road and 100 graduates in the 60s to being what it is today is nothing short of impeccable. Kenya my motherland should pick a leaf
Felt enlightened by such a success story from Sub-Saharan Africa
botswana is great been there very white friendly country & i hope they have more sucess
Great in-depth discussion on factors that can influence prosperity or poverty, sad that such things that should be "common sense" is not common at all, and amazing that once in a while you see such a "diamond in the rough" get developed and shined up without using a flamethrower to the long term stability.
I just found an article that quotes Websters with the old definition in 1983 and the new definition in 2000 so, the change happened somewhere in between.
Thank you sir, 11years later I am more proud to be a Motswana and I pray the miracle remains forever.
Excellent conference. I would be curious to know what this Professor think about the "oil curse" theory.
Question 2: I haven't done a lot of research into the currency manipulation of the chinese government but I do think that how much they manipulated their currency was grossly exaggerated by the US media. There are other problems with having a global currency, look at the euro for that, but currency manipulation may be another reason for China not wanting to tie their currency to the US.
I am also against the gold standard, but that is another complex issue that is hard to get into on youtube.
Botswana has most definitely allowed the free market to come in and fix their problems. There's something else that must be spoken about that is completely ignored though. By allowing foreign investment into their country they were able to expand their mining industry to a point where 34% of the citizens are employed through it. They also heavily tax mining to a point where when it once only supplied 1% of it's revenue, it now supplies 50%!
Hi Bro, Batswanas have the utmost respect for Ghanains. One of my favorite teachers growing up was a gentleman from Ghana :-)
@Bantze Hotep so tell them to stop u fool.
In your own country you cannot build a residential swelling in the middle of a highway. Those structures were destroyed because they had been erected without permit.
This is fascinating!
I would ask the professor what the term "blood diamond" means and is there a problem in Botswana regarding the diamond industry?
You're right that most of what he does harms and hurts black people, I never said the transfer of land from whites to blacks helped most black Zimbabweans, I just said that's what he did, and it hurt most Zimbabweans. The farms can't function the food isn't made people starve to death. Free markets would have weeded out the less efficient and productive farmers and would have rewarded the more efficient and productive farmers. You would get the best overall result in food production.
vert interesting video mkay. i really enjoy the videos on this channel mkay. it really helps mkay towards better understanding global issues mkay mkay
Drugs r baaad, mkay
I believe government stealing anyone's property and giving it to another is wrong. Free markets should be the determining factor in who farms and who doesn't. But Zimbabwe had a population and supported and created in part by industrial farming that was privately run. The farming infrastructure supported both blacks and whites alike. It would have been far more beneficial to Zimbabwe to focus on educating it's citizens then going after the white man. Ivory Coast is a good example of doing that.
With this new revenue they were able to build a modern infrastructure by not purely taxing income but by mainly taxing resources. It is proof that a tax on the value of land does not create harmful economic effects but actually promotes economic activity. If only in America we could tax the value of land and stop the wasted usage of it. This would create more economic activity and make land more accessible to average citizens. Read Henry George's "Progress and Poverty"
I going to start a drinking game. Every time he says OK take a drink!
The reason most of Africa is poor is due to several of their countries following socialist policies killing their democracies and bringing in cival wars
phaleche/pap/corn meal, beef (cooked in various ways, pounded which we call seswaa or stewed or just plain with onions and tomatoes), setampa or samp and thats a mixture of dried corn kennels without the bran and beans usually red kidney...and the common stuff, rice, pasta, potatoes....and green leafy veggies,those that grow locally or imported from other places... hope that helps
you are right brother!
A much better statement would be is
Rhodesia's Government - Racist towards Blacks
Zimbabwe's Government - Racist towards Whites
Both are wrong and destructive for everyone
Rhodesia wasn't an Empire it was part of one. An Empire at it's most basic with the exception of its creation(which requires violence) is actually a plus for those under it. You have free trade of goods and ideas. What's wrong regardless of any country is when the government has unfair, destructive, and oppressive laws.
great video
So when does this video start? About 20 min. in and it still seems to be meandering
I think Zimbabwe has dollarized by now (they started by using the South African Rand) and its economy is recovering steadily...
We Love Ghana , Everybody does
Good video!
Question 4: If the US collapses then so does China, our economies are dependent on each other, 52% of China's GDP is from business investment and a huge chunk of that is US companies building factories there.
One problem with politicians (Ron Paul being an exception) is how they preach for independence and the need to bring jobs back, I love globalization and nothing has done better to help both America's and the rest of the worlds economies.
What does your vision of Somalia's route to becoming a superpower look like? What needs to be done?
There was a bigger cholera outbreak in nearby Angola which left a larger number of people dead but the West seemed concerned about Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak for its propaganda purposes.
Zimbabwean dollar was once stronger than the American dollar at one time .....
Thats what I said: Inflation=SV/Q
S is the money printed. Its 1/3 of the the equation to determine the inflation. When your printing as much money as Germany was, and they had a real GDP collapsing as fast as it did during the interwar period, you are going to have massive inflation.
Take a shot every time he says "ok".
Webster’s 1983 Definition of Inflation
“An increase in the amount of currency in circulation, resulting in a relatively sharp and sudden fall in its value and rise in prices"
Rising prices is the RESULT of inflation.
Which is something Keynesians desperately don't want anyone to know.
I think it is unfair for the speaker to compare to Zimbabwe to North Korea. North Korea has a high GDP per capita compared to most of the countries in Africa.
This could be hard to answer, given the character limit. To answer your questions in order as short as possible: Yes, not sure, yes and yes.
Now for more detail:
Question 1 "Can I ask your opinion"
Yes you can. That being said, what you are getting is what you asked for; an opinion. Just because I have a major in econ, it doesn't mean I know everything about economics (and anyone who claims to no everything is fooling themselves).
I'll answer this in multiple posts btw.
"From the 19th century up to the Eleventh New Collegiate Dictionary-issued in 2003-Webster's defined inflation as what happens when a country prints too much money, which is exactly what hawks worry the Fed's monetary stimulus is doing now."
- The Wall Street Journal
Websters Dictionary CHANGED the definition of inflation in 2004.
What sort of food is popular in Botswana?
@Illyrien Thanks. I was sure it was a hollywood invention, but there seems to be an understanding for the term now.
26mins in and im waiting for it to properly start. Keeps referencing further info and detail coming... Im tired of waiting.
Rhodesia - Racist towards Blacks
Zimbabwe - Racist towards Whites
One thing that has really lead to food shortages in Zimbabwe was the seizing of land from white farmers. In an attempt to strengthen the economic hand of blacks in Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe stole the farms from whites and handed control over to blacks, unfortunately most of the blacks( most likely due to Rhodesia's oppression) were not educated on industrial farming. This lead to severe food shortages in the country.
Botswana is really an interesting topic - but why did every second word from the presenter have to be an "okay" ... Annoying!
Yeah right.
Capitalism yes, but colonization no.
Colonization is agression to african people's private property, so it's against Capitalism.
Has Jeffrey Sachs addressed this yet?
@SagaciousNJ
This is part of history's black list, The Republic of Rhodesia was not a "racist empire" It used to part of the British empire until like US it declared it's independence from it. I became a republic and England was not pleased. Their free market boomed and fed all of Africa, They also later desegregated and got rid of all apartheid laws the Brits created. The soviets then funded the rebels and the UK pressured the US not to step in, and the republic fell...
watch?v=GQMrD53Jofc
I Love my country Botswana! :D
'OUR PRIDE,YOUR DESTINATION'
@Hogbeast6
Forget that, how bout every time he says "Uh." I'm pretty sure alcohol poisoning would ensue.
Not really , I think he was referring to oppressive government . There are more countries in Africa with a higher GDP per capita than a lower one.
The amount of money the government has to print to half the value of the dollar is very large. If inflation is so bad then why does the dollar menu still exist? If inflation were horribly high because the gov creates all of it and its enormous why is a cheeseburger at McDonalds still only $1 and not $2? If you are right then why am i argueing? There are too many problems in the world and inflation is only a healthy 2-3% so that puts it on the backburner to more important things.
No the corporation does not lose money because the lose of customers is covered by the profit they are making on the ones who stay. This is all assuming that it is not raised an egregious(not sure what that means but you said it) amount. The federal reserve printed most of that money to preserve economic stability because banks need it to sustain the economic cycle and not implode destroying the economy.
did u know that there's 2 million people in botswana?
Zimbabwe had good economics when it was called Rhodesia.For "undisclosed reasons" suddenly it started to degrade.
It's called greed.
Joe Biernacki you spelt Marxism incorrectly
@@joebiernacki7346 greed is irrelevant.
Reading the comments, I am amazed that social thought is so prevalent in our schools. I just assumed common sense would prevail. I fear for our youth.
Let me also say that the US should eliminate all other taxes except for those on pollution.
Norma was here...
Botswana respects its labour force, unlike other countries around it.
did Botswana native had the majority wealth ?
ivan date No...the Motswana are not famous for being hard workers. Zimbabweans who migrated to Botswana have been kicking ass and holding down top jobs.
+Chris Vanoire u r a terrible liar...
Karabo Tshekiso you don't have to like it...its still true.
Chris dont be online lying about Bots bro..thats a blatant lie..u think we are where we r coz of Zim? boy get outta here
Even the King of Spain like to go on safaries in Botswana....which kinda harmed his image when he posed for a picture in front of a dead elephant. No too politically correct, I guess he wont go to Botwana for a while.
Botswana is a model
No companies think we are selling a decent amount. Then they raise prices because a corporations goal is to increase profits. That leads to higher prices increasing average prices of goods and services. Therefore corporations are a primary cause of inflation.
Okeey!? OK!? OK!? OK!? .... Yes OK!
Another comparison is Botswana versus Congo. Here the difference is that one of these countries was interfered with by the CIA. Both of their founding fathers believed in the same moderate social justice. Some Republicans call it compassionate conservatism. Seretse Khama's movement was yet another movement that vaguely resembled the left. Some of Khama's speeches could have easily been spun as too radical by the fake news of the day. But Dulles didn't know that Botswana had diamonds. And by 1966, Dulles was fired by Kennedy. On January 17th, 1961, Kennedy was not yet inaugurated. Kennedy himself became a Dulles victim soon after he warned about the secret societies.
@Buffalo122333 Rising prices, is raising prices. Inflation, is inflation. You can have inflation and falling prices.
I am an economist okay, here's Botswana okay , hey okay, is anyone awake okay? So okay ... okay
Funny how you say surpassing "African economies" as if Somalia isn't IN Africa...0.o
3 words! ZIMBABWE IS 5#!+
Why not invite him to Gabs and put him in the boxing ring with Mlema, OK?
Perhaps that 'racist empire' of Rhodesia wasn't so bad...
You have to make a seperation between all the benefits of Rhodesia like the prosperous economy, building of infrastructure maintaining social cohesion and the out right racist views the country had of its native inhabitants, i think many Zimbabweans are more concerned about the latter.
+Prince of Puntland Yeah, who needs food and medicine...
black south africans were happier and lived longer under the white rule. How is South Africa today? Dangerous and third world
Fascinating! You might even miss the huge racism tone if you don’t listen between the lines.
It's not racist to point out why a sh*thole is a sh*thole & how one country is getting out of it.
Name a single racist thing he said. Oh right, he didn't. You're a piece of sh*t & you have no arguments.
OK!?
OKAY?
My only problem is that, he ommitted Angola and Namibia almost purposely. They are doing really well and he makes SSA look like a terrible Place and Botswana the only good country. I am Zimbabwean by the way.
+Boazz Many aras how can you even say that! do you know how many Zimbabweans live in Botswana? I mean living there happily and comfortable. You are just jealous and its sad.
+Oscar Radikoro i know it is a great place and there is no need to be jealous and all coz u know, Zim kinda sucks. Just don't be one dimensional and forget the effort other countries have made.
Boazz Many aras multi dimensional will make this video very long. He is simple comparing Botswana with Zim. I still love Zim(Speciss College). But at the moment Zim is struggling.
You look like pep guadialo
Pretty damn ignorant on Rhodesia
Zimbabwe has 12 million and not 20 million..
The Matt Lauer sex symbol joke hasn't aged well.