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SA economy post apartheid

  • 21-03-2008 1:46pm
    #1
    williambonney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 111 ✭✭


    Why was South Africa the economic power house of Africa when apartheid ruled, and why is it going down the toilet now?


Comments

  • #2
    Riddle101
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,476 ✭✭✭Riddle101


    I would guess it's because SA is a stable country, i don't really know the reason why SA's economy is going down hill but i would say it's because the Western World is ignoring SA and since SA has close links with the Western World it's starting to fall.


  • #3
    dermo88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,000 ✭✭✭dermo88


    Its down to the 3C's. Corruption, Cronyism and Crime. This happens in a lot of developing countries, and while South Africa has all the outward appearance of a developed economy, huge social imbalances remain. This has to be addressed at several levels.

    Its also a very fragmented society, on tribal and regional levels. So you have tribalism, which is the curse of many African nations where the borders were artificially drawn.

    Lack of education and opportunity are other issues. This creates a huge underclass, who are excluded from society. Meanwhile, those with access to the circles of power do their best to ensure that its a closed shop.

    The SA economy has all the ingredients to succeed and thrive, but it needs the wealthy to pay their fair share for the priviledge of living there.


  • #4
    McArmalite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭McArmalite


    dermo88 wrote: »
    Its down to the 3C's. Corruption, Cronyism and Crime. This happens in a lot of developing countries..... has all the outward appearance of a developed economy, huge social imbalances remain. This has to be addressed at several levels.
    Sounds just like somewhere I know very well :mad:


  • #5
    dermo88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,000 ✭✭✭dermo88


    If you are thinking or hinting that Ireland has those problems, to a degree we did and still do. But let me assure you, it is far worse in other countries, such as Thailand, Malaysia or the Phillipines.

    In Ireland, it has been a very long time since the majority of people have needed to worry about shelter, a clean water supply, a decent health service (despite its all too obvious faults and expense levels, it could be a lot worse).

    Nevertheless this should be no excuse for tolerating our faults. The true mark of anyone who loves their nation is to love its culture and its people, to try and rectify its faults, and ultimately, never to trust its leaders and question their motives at every turn.

    The 3C's in Ireland still exist, but certain things such as better education, oppportunities, and a higher per capita GDP work to ensure that wads of readies in brown paper bags are no longer as effective as they were in a nation where a Bible was held in one hand, and Jameson was held in the other, while all types of crimes were committed.

    Lets face it, Bertie is no saint, but he is no Sani Abacha. He is certainly no Soeharto, or a Mahathir. He is not Thakin Sinawatra. The country has some sense of direction, and has an independent police and judiciary.

    People do not get detained and tortured without trial in Ireland. We do have freedom of speech. We do have the freedom to expose and analyse our politicians, and our rulers. We do have an underworld in the form of the IRA and criminal gangs, but what country does not have that.

    The grass is not greener on the other side. BTW McArmalite, living in Malaysia, I do need to point out the Malayan campaign of 1948-1960 was one of the few times that the British Govt actually did a decent job of sorting a country out, and had the Yanks taken their advice, the Vietnam War would never have happened. But .....I could be pontificating :)


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