Meanwhile in Zimbabwe...

[PeZook]

And the reason why Mugabe is so popular and in power was because he managed to pinpoint a scapegoat for the blacks. Rich white folks.

In a country where the population of the poor is rapidly increasing, its easy for any would be revolutionary to create a scapegoat in the rich.

This will bite him in the ass, though, unless he can create a strong backing in his neo-nobility - which he's actually doing right now.

[Darth Wong]

And the reason why Mugabe is so popular and in power was because he managed to pinpoint a scapegoat for the blacks. Rich white folks.

Is he really that popular? This guy rigged his last election, after all.

[wautd]

And the reason why Mugabe is so popular and in power was because he managed to pinpoint a scapegoat for the blacks. Rich white folks.

Is he really that popular? This guy rigged his last election, after all.

If I remember correctly, he was denying people food when they didn't vote for him

[Mayabird]

He's popular among the people who count, the rich, powerful, and armed. When you have all the money, power, and guns, who cares what the starving masses think? They're too busy trying not to die to worry about revolution.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

I believe there weren't just accusations of rigging, but also intimidation of political opponents, and also people and also plenty of bribery.

If by anything, the election was a farce.

[salm]

The last article i read about Mugabe was about 3 months old and claimed that his popularity has dropped significantly. His support among the regular populations has been in the shitters for quite a while now. He´s still got the military behind him but even they are slowly getting fed up with him because he can´t pay the regularily enough.

[Mayabird]

So Mugabe will probably be getting a bullet through the brainpan soon? Couldn't happen to a nicer dictator. Although, he is in his 80s, so maybe he'll just drop dead from old age. Although I wonder what will happen after he's gone. Getting killed in a coup would mean the military taking over, but what happens if he just dies before a coup?

[Sidewinder]

So Mugabe will probably be getting a bullet through the brainpan soon? Couldn't happen to a nicer dictator. Although, he is in his 80s, so maybe he'll just drop dead from old age. Although I wonder what will happen after he's gone. Getting killed in a coup would mean the military taking over, but what happens if he just dies before a coup?

The military still takes over-- they're the ones with the guns, and as Mao Zedong said, "Power springs from the barrel of a gun." Of course, Mugabe's replacement is unlikely to do anything to improve the lives of the average Zimbabwe civilian, and if the soldiers aren't getting paid, we're likely to see another coup within a decade, with all the associated chaos, famine, pestilence, deaths-- it will suck to be a Zimbabwe citizen (as if it didn't suck enough).

[salm]

The military still takes over-- they're the ones with the guns, and as Mao Zedong said, "Power springs from the barrel of a gun." Of course, Mugabe's replacement is unlikely to do anything to improve the lives of the average Zimbabwe civilian, and if the soldiers aren't getting paid, we're likely to see another coup within a decade, with all the associated chaos, famine, pestilence, deaths-- it will suck to be a Zimbabwe citizen (as if it didn't suck enough).

Most likely. But every once in a while you get a guy that is better than the other ones. Like Kabila in Congo for example who at least attempts to improve the situation, unlike former heads of state who just robbed the nation.

[Shroom Man 777]

but also intimidation of political opponents

By intimidation of political opponents, you mean political opponents getting clubbed in the face half-to-death by Mugabe's government thugs, right?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

but also intimidation of political opponents

By intimidation of political opponents, you mean political opponents getting clubbed in the face half-to-death by Mugabe's government thugs, right?

Er.. duh? There are like... only so many ways to skin a cat with a club or something?

[CJvR]

Heh. It's turned into a feudal monarchy.

Feudal monarchies are wonders of efficency compared to the Zimbabwean meltdown. The Barons wanted prosperous peasants on their land to generate revenue for them to tax. Mugabe's cohorts seem to want to steal any wealth available and then prevent anyone from generating more wealth, perhaps to logic is that if you have all the wealth and no new wealth is being generated you will stay on top forever?

[Sea Skimmer]

The reason Mugabe is in power is because he was one of three original leaders of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union. ZAPU fought a 20 year war to kick the 1% white minority out of power in Rhodesia, hardly an unreasonable situation. Shear attrition eventually forced the white government to submit to a free election, and since the other ZAPU leadership was elderly at the time, Mugabe was chosen to run and won easily and overwhelmingly. He didn’t need to scapegoat anyone since the black population had very real grievances. Even since then he’s just entrenched himself more and more. These days he’s not at all popular, but he long ago destroyed all armed opposition, so it doesn’t matter.

The land ‘reform’ which saw white land taken away was not a means of him gaining power; it was a major effort to keep the power he has. The black army veterans who the land was transferred too are his only support base.

[Pelranius]

Funnily enough, one of the white tycoons who busted sanctions for the Rhodesians is now doing the same for old Bob. Some things never change, do they?