Surprise, surprise, free markets, low taxes, light regulation, and little corruption have made Botswana an African growth engine! This a heartening story about how one nation broke away from the African consensus, government-centered growth model (or more correctly, the no-growth model) and is achieving prosperity. Who says the US has nothing to learn from Botswana? From Peter Tenebrarum, at davidstockmanscontracorner.com (bold type added):
Going Against the Grain
Back in 2013, Botswana was alone among African countries in its vehement rejection of the fraudulent election in Zimbabwe that kept the aging dictator Robert Mugabe in power.
An article in Bulawayo 24 [Bulawayo and Zimbabwe’s online news resource … Ed.] goes on to note that some critics in Botswana believe that the government is not entirely consistent in applying its foreign policy ideals. However, that shouldn’t detract from the fact that it very often finds itself alone in Africa when it is voicing its disapproval of injustice elsewhere on the continent.
As Bulawayo 24 reported at the time:
“Alone among African countries, Botswana has rejected the results of the Zimbabwean elections. It’s a brave stand, bound to frustrate their neighbors, but not unexpected. Over the last few years, Botswana and its president have shown that they can think and act for themselves. As African countries and institutions fell over themselves to whitewash the results of the Zimbabwean elections, there was a lone dissenter among all the official voices.
In what’s becoming a regular occurrence, Botswana found itself out of step with its regional and continental allies – and unafraid to upset the applecart.
“There is no doubt that what has been revealed so far by our observers cannot be considered as an acceptable standard for free and fair elections in Sadc,” said Botswana’s ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. “The community, Sadc, should never create the undesirable precedent of permitting exceptions to its own rules.”
The statement continued by calling for an independent audit of the Zimbabwe results, and for the inconsistencies in the report of Sadc’s own election observers to be discussed at the Sadc summit later this month. As statements go, this one was undeniably brave and hugely embarrassing for South Africa and Sadc, who both have pronounced themselves satisfied with the poll. Both also play hugely significant roles in landlocked Botswana’s economy.
But the statement was not inconsistent. Over the last few years, Botswana has made something of a habit of doing its own thing in the foreign policy arena, shamelessly flouting the unwritten rule of African diplomacy that priorities consensus and a united front above all else.
Free Markets and the Rule of Law
A friend has pointed us to an interesting article by Ed Frank that recently appeared at the Daily Signal, which discusses Botswana’s impressive economic success. Africa is often considered a “lost cause”, a perennial basket case both politically and economically, although the situation has actually greatly improved in a number of countries (such as e.g. Ghana).
Still, Botswana is setting an especially noteworthy example. Its success shows that free markets and strong property rights will work everywhere. Economic laws are of course always and everywhere valid. Once a free market system is adopted, capital accumulation and growing prosperity will invariably follow. Botswana proves that economic freedom is far better at achieving development goals and raising living standards than the billions in foreign aid that have been wasted on countless developing countries over the years to little avail.
http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/botswana-getting-it-right-in-africa/
To continue reading: Getting It Right In Botswana
