NOTsolongago,SouthAfricawasbyfarthemostseriousandeconomicallysuccessfulcountryinAfrica.Attheturnofthemillenniumitaccountedfor40%ofthetotalGDPofthe48countriessouthoftheSahara,whereasNigeria,threetimesmorepopulous,lurchedalonginsecondplacewitharound14%.Theremainder,inraweconomicterms,barelyseemedtocount.DespiteSouthAfrica’sloathsomeapartheidheritage,solidinstitutionsunderpinneditstransitiontodemocracyin:aproperParliamentandelectoralsystem,agoodnewconstitution,independentcourts,avibrantpressandafirst-worldstockmarket.NelsonMandela,whoseextraordinarymagnanimityhelpedavertaracialbloodbath,heraldedarainbownationthatwouldbeabeaconfortherestofAfrica.
就在不久前,南非显然还是非洲最为老成持重、经济最发达的国家。在千禧年之交,撒哈拉以南48个国家的GDP总量里,南非占了40%;而人口比南非多三倍的尼日利亚大约占了14%,跌到了第二的位置。至于剩下的那些国家,粗略地从经济方面来看似乎不值一提。尽管南非承袭了令人憎恶的种族隔离政策,但该国有一系列可靠的制度体系:包括符合国情的议会和选举制度、一部优秀的新宪法、独立的法院、充满活力的新闻出版界和第一世界级别的股票市场。这些制度体系为南非在年向民主制过渡奠定了基础。纳尔逊?曼德拉非凡的宽宏气度帮助南非避免了一场种族大屠杀,他预示了“彩虹国度”的诞生——这个国度也将成为非洲其他地区的引路明灯。
Sincethen,Africa,onceharshlylabelledbythisnewspaperas“thehopelesscontinent”,hasbeguntomakeboldstrides.MeanwhileSouthAfrica,thoughstillatreasuretroveofmineralswiththemostsophisticatedeconomyonthecontinent,isontheslidebotheconomicallyandpolitically.BysomecalculationsNigeria’seconomy,messyasitis,willovertakeitwithinafewyears.WhatwentwrongwithSouthAfrica,andhowcanitbefixed?
从那时起,非洲这块曾被本报严苛地贴上“无望大洲”标签的地区开始大胆地跨步前进了。与此同时,南非在经济方面和政治方面都在走下坡路——尽管该国仍然是非洲大陆上经济最为成熟的矿产宝库。有人预测,虽然尼日利亚的经济目前看来很糟糕,但它在几年以内就将赶超南非。南非出了什么问题?又应当怎样解决?
InthepastdecadeAfricatothenorthoftheLimpoporiverhasbeengrowingatanannualaverageclipof6%,whereasSouthAfrica’srateforthepastfewyearshasslowedtobarely2%.RatingagencieshavejustdowngradedSouthAfrica’ssovereigndebt.Mining,oncetheeconomy’sengine,hasbeenbatteredbywildcatstrikes,causingthebiggest兰州可以治疗白癜风的医院哪个医院白癜风能治好
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