When the British ran the country that became Zambia, the natives had an average life expectancy of around 65 years.
Since they’ve taken charge of their own affairs, their standard of living has halved along with their life expectancy.
As Wikipedia says: "Per capita annual incomes are currently at about one-half their levels at independence and, at $395, place the country among the world’s poorest nations. Social indicators continue to decline, particularly in measurements of life expectancy at birth (about 40.9 years) and maternal mortality (830 per 100,000 pregnancies)[1]."
I wonder how average life expectancy rates have done in South Africa over the past 15 years?
I just found this news report:
JOHANNESBURG, 21 November 2009 (PlusNews) – South Africans are dying younger and in greater numbers, and HIV/AIDS is to blame, according to a report released this week by the South African Institute of Race Relations.
Average life expectancy declined from 62 years in 1990 to 50 years in 2007; it is projected to fall even further by 2011, to 48 years for men and 51 for women, according to the Institute’s annual South Africa Survey.
The authors note that among 37 developed and developing countries, South Africa is one of only six where life expectancy fell between 1990 and 2007, with only Zimbabwe showing a steeper decline.
So when the natives did not run these nations, the natives lived a lot longer. Correlation or coincidence?
What spurs a nation to descend into reckless buggery?
AIDS is pretty damn difficult to catch unless you are sharing needles or getting buggered. You have to really put your ass out there.
I wonder if there is any benefit to thinking of these nations as akin to teenagers getting a driver’s license. As soon as they start driving on their own, they start killing themselves and others with their recklessness. A lot of teenagers need strong authority or they kill themselves and others.
I’m also thinking about working for yourself versus working for others. I’ve usually worked for myself. I’ve never made over $50,000 in a year. The quickest way for most people to make money is to go out and get a job. When you work for yourself, it is easy to slack off and do things in a slovenly way. When you work for a boss, he holds you accountable.
I wonder if these African natives who are dying like flies need a boss. Apparently they are not fit for governing themselves.
Maybe Freud and Judaism are right that civilization begins with sexual discipline.
America is far more sexually disciplined (a higher percentage of people here marry rather than live together) and old fashioned in that arena than Europe and far more prosperous.
