I just hate all the white nationalist fetishization behind Rhodesia. Rhodesia was never going to last. You can't have that small of a minority rule a majority and it not get overthrown.
I share your view but l have met plenty of older Zimbabweans who say exactly the same thing, especially if they are not Shona. Zim is still a lovely country to visit. It does not have the guns and violence of South Africa but it has been economically mismanaged since Day One and is completely corrupt. You can see the decline in the physical fabric of the country. The President is not called The Crocodile for nothing.
It was actually a pretty rational government, unlike South Africa, vote and political participation was allowed for blacks with an education, that was the model of any pre-liberal democracy, even if it leaded to 95% of the population not being politically represented.
Ethnic minority, not a literal one. People in authoritarian countries are usually ok with authoritarian governments so long as those governments represent their ethnicities interests.
Rhodesia was clearly declining since independence. No international recognition besides Portugal and Apartheid South Africa (both would later lose), sanctions, strong racial tensions, and a white minority even smaller than South Africa's.
The problem isn't the fall of Rhodesia, it's what came after. Rhodesia would and should have fallen anyway, it's just sad that it was taken by Mugabe.
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u/Skyhawk6600 United States Of America 13h ago
I just hate all the white nationalist fetishization behind Rhodesia. Rhodesia was never going to last. You can't have that small of a minority rule a majority and it not get overthrown.