Every story I've heard about why Zimbabwe got super poor seemed really off and basically hinged on "African farm workers don't know how to run farms" which sounds ridiculous. Does anyone know any good simple reads on the history of the region? All I really know is that it was a racist colony and then it wasn't, and there was a war with racist mercenaries wearing short shorts and somehow this turned into the country printing zillion-dollar bills? Where can I learn more that isn't from people who think Rhodesia was cool and good?
I'm pretty sure that Zimbabwe has been sanctioned by most of the West ever since they managed to kick out the majority of their white population. So while there certainly has been PLENTY of corruptoin and mismanagement, getting put under siege is surely going to intensify whatever local problems were already in place.