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Markets in Everything? We can only hope so.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) says some Zimbabweans are in favor of a retirement package, which would be attractive enough for President Robert Mugabe to step down.

More here.

Posted by Alex Tabarrok on September 19, 2007 at 07:12 AM in Political Science | Permalink

Comments

There's only one type of "package" that would be appropriate.

Posted by: Peter at Sep 19, 2007 9:17:26 AM

It's an old idea that re-emmerges everynow and then in african politics.

To an extend it makes sense given the winner-takes-all attitudes of (new) governments..
To another extend I think it misses the main point. It's not just about money and imunity, guys like Mugabe are addicted to power, to be the Man, to make the decisions and that's hard to put in a package.

But, I'm glad the opposition (and probably younger member of the majority) are making moves.

Posted by: nu at Sep 19, 2007 9:29:57 AM

LOL A "retirement package" as euphemism for a coup. Kinda like how in the same region, "campaign
finance reform" is a euphemism for "gun control" (cf. The Onion).

Posted by: Person at Sep 19, 2007 9:36:48 AM

OK for this case, but perhaps a moral hazard issue for the future?

Posted by: Andrew Gelman at Sep 19, 2007 9:41:19 AM

I don't see how you can possibly bribe an absolute ruler. The only
plausable scenario would be if the bribe was internationally financed
(given the worthlessness of the Zimbabwean currency). But why should we
believe that his successor would be better?

Posted by: reason at Sep 19, 2007 10:12:10 AM

Oh, he looted his own country for years, and now he gets a retirement package? Being a dictator in Africa is all that the job advert promise and more.

Nice job if you can get it!

Posted by: Shefaly at Sep 19, 2007 10:44:14 AM

Umm ... great idea ... what do you think we can put together to get rid of Bush?

Posted by: RTS at Sep 19, 2007 11:06:34 AM

I hope I'm not out of line here on this generally "in bounds" site, but I agree with Peter.

I think a "permanent retirement", or "terminal retirement", is more appropriate. Perhaps outsiders ought to make it an either/or situation, he has to take the carrot or stick, but the status quo is unacceptable.

Mugabe has (at least de facto. At least.) engaged, and continues to engage, in acts that are would get him capital punishment in the US. Why is it that he gets to live just because he has made himself dictator of a country?

Posted by: happyjuggler0 at Sep 19, 2007 11:31:09 AM

As funny as this might sound, this reminds me of how some economists (cough cough) believe that the
solution to someone making noises so loud you can't sleep, or causing your land to catch on fire, is to
pay them to stop doing that.

It's not like that would lead other people to do the same thing in order to milk money out of you or
anything, right?

Posted by: Person at Sep 19, 2007 11:50:18 AM

Mugabe remains in power largely because no one is in position to remove him from power. Most of the Zimbabweans who might have the influence to get something accomplished have left the country - the white farmers to Mozambique, the more affluent urban blacks to Britain, the United States and South Africa. The people who remain and are suffering the most generally are poor and without influence.

Foreign intervention isn't likely to happen anytime soon. The African Union has a strict hands-off policy when it comes to a member country's internal affairs. Britain and/or the European Union might have gotten involved, but America's unfortunate experience in Iraq has made them very cautious, especially since the pro-Mugabe elements would likely mount a guerilla war after his ouster. South Africa is quite concerned about the Zimbabwe situation and has gotten a very burdensome influx of impoverished refugees (though lions and crocodiles along the refugee routes have been enjoying a veritable feast), but is unlikely to intervene because of the aforementioned non-intervention policy, as well as lingering feelings of solidarity with Mugabe that began with his struggle against white rule. In addition, the current condition of South Africa's once-formidable military is in some doubt.

Posted by: Peter at Sep 19, 2007 2:22:29 PM

Ok, for those who don't understand the logic:

Did Pinochet get a retirement package after his lost plebiscite ?
Not a bribe per se, but between his senate imunity, the armed forces independance, the electoral system (which guarantees that no one will ever have a large majority), he got plenty of guarantees that whoever succeeds him won't be able to do him much harm.
And he's not the only one.

Had that not been established, would he have left ?

And the idea that a lot of the despots try to gain time because they're too afraid of what would happen if they let go is not too far fretched.

Mugabe is running out of tactical moves (yes everything he has done in the past 10 years were tactical moves). he probably knows it, many people in his party know it. The choice may be to (semi-voluntarily) relinquish some (political) power in order to keep some (their liberty, their wealth), actually like Ian Smith or De Clerck have.

However, there is a huge moral hazard issue. HUGE.

PS: Pinochet, Stalin, Mao, Mobutu, Idi Amin, Obote, Botha died in their beds, didn't they ?
Ian Smith, Babangida and a few others are happily alive, aren't they ?
So why would killing Mugabé be more pressing than making him leave office ?

Posted by: nu at Sep 19, 2007 2:42:06 PM

How about a fixed annuity in the local currency?

Posted by: Lord at Sep 19, 2007 2:56:08 PM

Can I remind the armchair assassins on this thread that how ever bad things are, they could always be worse and Zimbabwe does not currently have a civil war?

Posted by: dsquared at Sep 20, 2007 2:36:36 AM

I like Lords suggestion. Make the punishment fit the crime.

Posted by: reason at Sep 20, 2007 3:55:49 AM

I am in favor of giving Mr Mugabe a fortune in lead.

Posted by: chsw at Sep 21, 2007 10:01:30 AM

Maybe Blackstone could just buy the country from Mugabe.

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