I spent some time in Zimbabwe in the mid-80s. There was a modicum of freedom and prosperity. Mugabe had only recently taken over the country and it was still viable. It was lush and while the people were dirt poor, they were certainly living better than their neighbors to the east and west, Mozambique and Angola. Both of those countries were saddled with wannabe communist dictators and they are basket cases today. Zimbabwe will end up the same way. It's a DAMNED shame. Zimbabwe will die an awful death by its own hand.
In the late 80s I had the chance to chat with a CNN producer who had just completed a segment on Zimbabwe. I was amazed at how incredibly little this young man knew about the history of the country. All he had to say for his visit was that it was a quaint place in which they rolled up the sidewalk at dark and the people were friendly in the pubs. He knew nothing about the Marxist who had achieved power and the ominous future the country faced.
At the time I had an unfortunate feeling that this was going to happen based on the political turmoil in the adjacent Marxist countries. Why should Zimbabwe be different?
It is very painful to watch a civilized country disintegrate to barbarism.