"Alternative" Proposals

The apparent failure of the Internal Settlement has not prevented the British and American governments from stepping into the fray and suggesting substantially the same arrangement in different clothes. They offer some changes in the electoral institutions, but change few of the other administrative parts of the administration. Their attitude seems to be that opening all levels of government to black participation will solve all the problems. In fact all these proposals will achieve is the creation of a black administrative elite, similar in most respects to the white elite which preceded it.

As part of the Anglo-American package, the present sanctions against Zimbabwe would be lifted, and US$ 1.5 billion would be poured into the nation. The result of this move however would not be to place it on its feet. Zimbabwe still relies heavily on outside experts and foreign capital to keep running. An investment of this sort would encourage a large number of capitalintensive projects, which would generate little productive employment for the people.