The First Step

'A person without a smiling face cannot open a shop' is a popular Chinese saying. A neoliberal economist cannot discern market failure, just as socialism will not stop basic human greed plus corruption. These sayings apply to Zimbabwe, as will be investigated in this Steps Series on the Zimbabwe economy.
When Jongwe (Zanu PF) came into power in 1980 they had difficult issues to wrestle with. The liberation war had destroyed rural infrastructure, a coloured majority was living in abject poverty and the South African apartheid regime was working to derail the whole of independent Southern Africa.
The governing policy document in the early 80's cherished 'Growth with Equity' for young Zimbabwe. In these early years, policy execution was challenged by limited resources and a global recession. Regardless of the debilitating droughts and resistance from Zimbabwe's influential economic players, schools were built and health was made universally accessible. This helped reverse some of the historical imbalances of the colonial era.
In hindsight, between 1980 and 1982, Jongwe performed exceptionally well. Policy generated eqaulity, Aid flowed in, and Zanu PF smiled at all the customers. Walking on both roads at the same time- the Jongwe was both socialist and capitalist-it was too good to be true.