Wealth distribution and land reform in South Africa could not have been nearly as quick as in 1789 France or 1917 Russia.
France and Russia underwent seismic, abrupt economic-political upheavals, unforgiving in throwing out their respective ancien regimes and seizing the land and wealth of the oligarchs in orgies of blood and chaos. Both countries underwent war to suppress the deadenders who were supported by European powers.
South Africa on the other hand, underwent a political-social revolution, forgiving the previous racist ancien regime while remaining a member of the capitalist system. President Nelson Mandela asked white bureaucrats to stay after assuming power, and many did, including Afrikaaners. Some bloodshed erupted, but civil war and carnage were avoided. Mandela specifically kept whites in two critical positions to show the world the ANC wasn't a Trotskyite-type of regime: Intelligence and Finance. Then, he brought the country together.
Dr. Neil Bernard, the D/BOSS who worked behind the scenes in transitioning South Africa from apartheid, passed last month. He was a personal hero of mine.
The pace of land reforms and wealth distribution have been too slow in alleviating poverty for the bottom 95% because of local corruption and tribal politics (Xhosa versus Zulu, etc), but which countries have no corruption?
Scoring 180 countries around the world, the Corruption Perceptions Index is the leading global indicator of public sector corruption. South Africa has a score of 41 this year, with a change of 0 since last year, meaning it ranks 82 out of 180 countries.
Source:
https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2023/index/zaf
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