Introduction
In May 2002, as part of the use of terror to maintain his grip on power, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe launched what one historian described as “the final onslaught against white farmers.” That month, almost all the white farmers in the country were given forty-five days to vacate their land, preparatory to handing it over to the state for redistribution. Rather than going to Mugabe’s landless black supporters, most of the land ended up in the hands of Mugabe’s family, and their extended clique. In the wake of this violence and corruption, commercial agriculture in the country essentially came to an end. It was the culmination of twenty years of rhetoric and idiocy which turned the country from a net exporter of food to one which needed international aid for its people to survive.
Robert Mugabe, c. 1979
Corruption aside, it is a measure of how important the land issue was in Zimbabwe. In a global economy where increasing wealth was marked by technological advances and automated production methods, the (false) promise of providing land for subsistence farming was still a powerful election tool. For all his corruption and violence, Mugabe understood this.
Resolution: General First Presentation
That said, I come not to praise Mugabe, but rather to (mostly) ignore him. My goal is to use the status of land in Zimbabwe as a platform to present a resolution for debate:
Is it permissible to use state power to rectify a previous abuse of state power?
I don’t have a definitive answer to this question but more wish to stimulate discussion (and comments, many, many comments). This essay comes with the SLD (Standard Libertarian Disclaimer) subject identifier under which a number of pieces were published in the early months of this site. The SLD here is that land should not be assigned or allocated by the state. But, as I will suggest, land became a flashpoint in Zimbabwe because the state got involved in allocation and redistribution long before Mugabe came to power.
A disclaimer: and if I could, I would write this in bright, flashing lights: nothing I write here should be construed as even partial endorsement of the actions of Robert Mugabe and/or ZANU-PF in the post-2000 period. For several reasons Zimbabwe simply offered me the easiest example from which to explore this question.
History: Southern Rhodesia (and Africa) Through 1945
A very brief summary which omits a lot of detail.
In the later nineteenth century, the territory which became the nation of Zimbabwe, was part of the Ndebele Kingdom, founded in the 1820s by Mzilikazi, a one-time subordinate of the Zulu king Shaka. Mzilikazi had rebelled against Shaka, but Mzilikazi’s forces were crushed and he fled into the region that became the Ndebele kingdom. After a few somewhat nomadic years, Mzilikazi and his followers settled in a region which Europeans called Matabeleland. The region overlapped, but was not completely coterminous, with Zimbabwe.
Matabeleland
Mzilikazi was succeeded by his son Lobengula. By this time, gold had been discovered and the British were determined to get their hands on at least some of the shiny, shiny metal. Initial explorations in the region were made by Cecil Rhodes under the authority of the British South Africa Company (the names get tricky: the BSAC had nothing to do with the Republic of South Africa. And, although the territory which became Zimbabwe is in east Africa, it had no political connection to British East Africa). Skipping over a LOT of details, the BSAC, by a combination of moderately fair (theoretically honest treaties) and less than fair (betrayal of those treaties and a subsequent invasion), ended up “owning” the territory of the Ndebele Kingdom. Even in those early days, we can see the racism (and violence) inherent in the imperial system. As one young rifleman from the BSAC wrote home:
all over the place it was nothing but dead or dying niggers. We burnt all the huts and a lot of niggers that could not come out were burnt to death, you could hear them screaming but it served them right
From the 1880s until 1923, the BSAC ran the territory. However, as was fairly common practice in the British empire of the time, there were government officials in the region answerable to various departments of the imperial state. The BSAC itself remained steadfastly unprofitable: administrative costs always outweighed commercial income. By the 1920s, the BSAC’s territory extended across a vast portion of east central Africa, encompassing the present-day states of Zimbabwe and Zambia (it would be the twenty-fifth biggest nation in the world today – larger than Colombia, more than 1.5 times the size of Texas).
Southern Africa: Pre-WWII (thanks to Tonio for the pic)
By the 1920s, the BSAC realized it could no longer afford to run the southern region, now known as southern Rhodesia. The company favored a union of the territory with South Africa but, in a 1920 election for local government, pro-Responsible Government Association (RGA) candidates won a large plurality. Only 10% of the population favored union with South Africa, while 23% favored continuing BSAC rule. In a 1922 referendum, pro-RGA candidates won 60% of the vote. This led to southern Rhodesia becoming a self-governing crown colony within the British Empire in 1923 (The northern portion of the former BSAC land became a British protectorate known—creatively—as Northern Rhodesia. In 1964, Northern Rhodesia became the independent state of Zambia).
Southern Rhodesia had a significant degree of autonomy. Britain maintained control over foreign policy and had the right to veto any legislation concerning blacks – although this veto was seldom used. In virtually every other sphere, the colony took care of its own affairs. Southern Rhodesia went through a series of ups and downs over the next twenty years or so, its fortunes generally tied to those of the empire.
But, this decision to grant almost complete autonomy to southern Rhodesia would have dramatic implications post-WWII.
Next week, “Part II – The Mugabeaning.”
Tease.
Mugabe made me a multi-trillionaire.
*waves Zimbabwe Dollars*
If I recall correctly from couple of long-go African History classes, Rhodesia was an extremely fertile and successful agricultural exporter.
That was true right up until Mugabe kicked the farmers off the land.
It was literally the breadbasket of Africa. And now they are starving.
Africa should be ruling the world at this point with their natural resources.
I have a Zimbabwe greenback around here somewhere. I can’t remember the exact denomination, but it has zeroes a-plenty on it.
Cliffhanger!
I gotta say, it’s a treat to have a history prof on staff, so to speak.
Very interesting premise and short history. I thought the politics of the Baltics were a confusing clusterfuck, but nothing like Africa.
Looking forward to the next installment!
Tune in next week. Same Glibs time, same Glibs channel.
There are other Glibs channels?
Apparently there are forums. I never look at them so my information may be out of date.
Dear Glib Forum,
I never thought this would happen to me but…
Yes. Thanks for a fun lunch read!
Yep great read.
As for the topic at hand, I’d say the State can only make a hole it dug previously even deeper and wider in its attempts to “fix” its original errors.
In a global economy where increasing wealth was marked by technological advances and automated production methods, the (false) promise of providing land for subsistence farming was still a powerful election tool. For all his corruption and violence, Mugabe understood this.
Appeal to The Good Old Days?
*real or imagined
Great series so far. I know very little of African history.
I have some large gaps in my understanding of the histories of Africa and India. Finding good books on either is difficult. African history in particular is full of postmodern chaff.
Most of my non-north African history is based on how it related to US slavery and the movie Zulu.
Great flick. I should watch it again before it gets censored.
I thought the guy in the photo on the main page was Flavor Flav. Maybe Mugabe should have worn a giant clock around his neck for added swagger.
YEAH BOY!
Mugabe became a very flashy dresser later in life. Hopefully you’ll like the Featured Image (main page feed illo) for Part II.
Flashier than this??
Not bad for a colonel
He died the way he lived. Getting lots of shit pinned to him.
Looks about like the average Podunk County USA sheriff.
Boy Howdy!
“Is it permissible to use state power to rectify a previous abuse of state power?”
It depends on a lot of things, starting with what you mean by “state power”.
If a government steals an asset worth billions, is it not an exercise of state power to later pay for that asset? The payment is authorized and made by the state, using funds extracted from the populace via taxation, after all.
Another example: How will corrupt officials be punished? Prosecution, after all, is an exercise of state power.
One more: Isn’t repealing an unjust law an exercise of the state’s power to make laws?
Fair points. In Part II, I try to present this as a much more focused question.
The problem with all land distribution questions is you can’t start from a clean slate. So you’ll never, ever, completely satisfy all parties.
Well, achktuallly – if you completely purge the region of people, you’ve created a clean slate and eliminated potential complaints from the locals when you dole it out.
Always make genocide part of your land reform programs.
You’re at the top of my list for Commissar of Land Management and Domestic Security. Your commission will be delivered upon my accession. Urban California will be your first project.
Comrade Stalin has entered the chat.
True. Although, in Part II, I try to provide if not a clean slate, a clean-ish slate.
you could hear them screaming but it served them right
Does tend to make you question just who was the savage in that situation.
There’s no question in my mind
It was taken so far out of context that we don’t even know who was in those burning huts beyond general racial classification. So I want to know the rest of the story before passing judgement.
Does seem to suggest there’s a backstory there. I have no idea what it is.
Great thing about aerial firebombing, you don’t hear ’em scream.
So you will be your own Commissar of War after your accession?
Obligatory – I’m from Rhodesia.
https://youtu.be/gmqUNfflw3s
I saw that movie for the first time in the lounge at Blackwater – I was taking a pistol class. Halfway through, I got up to take a leak and realized that about twenty Congolese national police officers had sneakily dragged up chairs and were watching it over our shoulders. They thought the movie was really good.
What movie was it? I couldn’t place the content.
Blood Diamond.
Thank you.
“the lounge at Blackwater – I was taking a pistol class”
Sounds like you could easily make a post out of that.
Does tend to make you question just who was the savage in that situation.
We all have it coming, Kid
OT
@JI, thank you for your kind words last night. 🙂
DC is an incestuous shithole chapter 1 gagillion and six.
Reads like a bad novel. The blackmail attempt was hilarious.
One of Trump’s biggest mistakes was to listen to Kushner’s bad advice for 4 years. Right up his last day of bad pardons and nothing for the prisoners in the J6 gulag.
Christie was going to be a much better Attorney General than Sessions before Kushner’s meddling.
I’d forgotten about that.
I was unaware of all that. No wonder Christie the Hutt hates Trump & Co. so much.
He was a Trump guy 4 years ago until Kushner shivved him.
Remember the scene in Goodfellas when Tommy got whacked.
That’s what I always picture.
Good luck hitting any vital organs with a shiv on that guy.
A katana is a blade.
Is it permissible to use state power to rectify a previous abuse of state power – as usual it depends what is meant by this. But mostly no because you cannot undo the past and this is ripe for corruption.
Then again in post commie Romania the general thing was giving back the land / property of pre commie Romania which is different. it was still badly done and mostly stolen, but some did get their family stuff back.
Daily Quordle 500
6️⃣7️⃣
9️⃣5️⃣
horse shit today
DC is an incestuous shithole chapter 1 gagillion and six.
Reading that just makes me despise Chris Christie even more. I would not have believed it possible.
Why?
It’s like revenge after revolution or war, a terrible idea that almost always backfires, but one that is deeply appealing to our base instincts.
Which does not in any way exclude the likelihood Kushner (pick one) is a liece of shit.
Big breakup with the United Methodist Churches between conservative and woke pastors and congregations. Most of the churches around here are going with the conservative wing. The woke remainders will be left to slowly die as a denomination.
https://www.aol.com/more-100-sc-churches-leave-205257796.html
Uh oh. Someone is bucking for the Catholic treatment.
I’m glad to see churches fighting back. This is getting stupid. Between the woke and their acquiescence to the State, churches need to armor up.
The “Catholic treatment”?
Siccing the FBI on them as domestic terrorists.
At this point I just assume we’re all domestic terrorists.
Sorta like a Dirty Sanchez…I think.
I wasn’t expecting some kind of Spanish Inquisition.
/preps a comfy chair
Thanks for the history, RN, I can use more of it. Very interesting.
Talk about screwing up a wet dream. Power’s a helluva aphrodisiac. The WW2 Japanese-Americans remember…
there are plenty western hipsters who wanna give subsistence farming a go. it helps if you do youtube and sell merch as that is where the money is.
Mugabe had a solution to people being motivated by money!
One of these days I will break down and buy a new keyboard.
Nee eyboards are for ussies
All you really need is an Alt key and the 10 key number pad.
Crisis slightly averted. Metal shavings were not in the engine, the transmission. My teen is a dumbass. I am not sure if they asked to see the shavings. That is key. Are we talking normal wear and tear or chucks. Anyway, thanks all.
My teen is a dumbass.
Huh. Never seen that before.
Glad things aren’t as dire as expected!
I dunno. A quick ebay search looks like used auto trans are more costly than used motors (in parts cost).
I hope it works out cheaply for him.
Fun fact:
The State of Idaho has a downloadable “Application for Certificate of Title” form which allows you to enter the info and print it. Magic!
It seems more cumbersome than just doing it by hand, but the decline in quality of my “penmanship” probably makes it worthwhile.
I finally found my stack of titles. It’s past time to scratch the title/reg change off the list.
i don’t understand what this is about so I assume potatoes
I thought Romanians knew what cars were.
who was talking cars?
Somebody the other day said “I wish slavery never happened.”.
Everyone agreed of course. Then people slowly got offended.
$5 Million bribe payment to the Big Guy. The FBI hid it for years.
https://thepoliticsbrief.com/house-rep-confirms-that-fbi-informant-doc-shows-5-million-bribery-payment-was-made-to-joe-biden/
And nothing else happens.
But Trump, OTH…
Really rubbing everyone’s nose in it, aren’t they?
Who cares? Public is more interested in what Harry has to say in a Limey courtroom.
Why?
That “most heinous crime I ever saw” bullshit.
What a pompous sanctimonious blowhard that guy (Christie) is.
In NJ no less.
Hyperbole, no doubt. Still, that’s seriously fucked up. The kind of thing that makes you wonder what else he’s been up to.
Perhaps the most surprising thing, though, is that at one time the DOJ would go after big Dem donors.
Notice anything familiar about the state?
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/criminal-probe-sen-bob-menendez-expands-new-subpoenas-rcna83646
Metal shavings were not in the engine, the transmission. My teen is a dumbass. I am not sure if they asked to see the shavings. That is key. Are we talking normal wear and tear or chucks. Anyway, thanks all.
Didn’t you say something about a shift controller fault? Cross your fingers.
Good luck hitting any vital organs with a shiv on that guy.
You’d need an icepick as long as a fireplace poker.
Our culture was so much more interesting 40 years ago.🔥🚀
Truth.
LOL. And that was probably broadcast nationwide on Sunday afternoon on Wide World of Sports or something.
Only $19k
It’s listed under semi-automatic rifles. If that is only semiautomatic, that’s heresy!
You mean, like, make some kind of… I don’t know… reparations?
I had to think long and hard about that. In Part II, the final question I pose explains why a POSSIBLE answer would NOT be like reparations currently being demanded in the US.
My head went straight there too.
An interesting exercise in NAP for libertarians. Scammer steals your home title last week, no question you go after him. How far back can you carry the stolen land/restitution principle? Israel takes Arab land in 1940s? Napoleon sells Louisiana territory out from under the Plains tribes in 1803? Dutch screw Lenape squatters out of Manhattan Island? Normans invade England in 1066 and take land from the previous invaders?
Treads way into the deep end of sins of our fathers.
Kind of plays into squatters rights and the like as well.
How about… you can take legal action within your lifetime, otherwise fuck off. Thoughts?
Also it has to be individual action. No group action. You must actively participate for your restitution.
Law of Adverse Possession in PA (and lots of other states) is 17 years. If you haven’t officially complained, then squatter owns the land.
“Dutch screw Lenape squatters out of Manhattan Island?”
I watched a presentation on business valuation recently. In discussing discount factors, etc., the presenter showed what the $20-odd dollars worth of beads would be worth today at various compounded rates. It was trillions of dollars at around 7-8%.
Not really making a point here, you just reminded me.
I don’t think Israel took any land in the ‘40s. It was given to them by others, as Israel didn’t really exist before it got the land. Accepting stolen goods? Maybe. But at some point in the past all land was stolen from somebody else, so once you start down that road, where does it end? I think I would draw the line at a sort of long generation – if you haven’t recovered what you say was taken within, say, 50 years, you don’t have a claim any more.
Also on the Manhattan question: the land in 1620 wasn’t worth what it is now. Not just in terms of inflation but today’s value of the land is connected to the improvements made on the land.
Israel takes Arab land in 1940s
BC or AD?
Lol.
The descendants of the residents of Jericho would like a word.
An interesting exercise in NAP for libertarians. Scammer steals your home title last week, no question you go after him. How far back can you carry the stolen land/restitution principle?
There was a story the other day about some black woman in California trying to “reclaim [extremely valuable] land stolen from a great(?)grandfather in the 1850s or thereabouts.
“I had a farm in Africa….”
One of the great opening lines to a book, right up there with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” and “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again“.
Es verdad.
*amusingly, that tried to autocorrect to “verdant”