Zimbabwe: Where have all the Property Rights Laws gone?

Fire of Liberty

Zimbabwe needs reinstatement of land rights and compensation to those robbed. Some white farmers I spoke too still hold on to their original title deeds in the hope that they will be able to reclaim their land. Turning dead capital into something with life will do more than anything else to reverse the disaster that is Zimbabwe. This can not happen with the current government. But Mugabe will die, become too infirm to Govern or be the victim of the coup at some stage; then there is a chance for democratic reform. While political reform is a necessary condition for economic growth, it is not sufficient -- only private property right enforcement adds sufficiency for growth.

This is part of a great article over at Tech Central Station by Roger Bate on the problem that's plaguing Zimbabwe. While starvation and political intimidation are rampant in the African nation they pale in comparison to the denial of one of the greatest rights which are property rights. When you take away these rights, you destroy the soul of farming as well as domestic/foreign investment in the nation of Zimbabwe.

I have to say that Bate is on to something here. Its hard to write otherwise, especially when economist like Hernando De Soto and historians like Richard Pipes have written countless articles a several good books on this particular fact.