05-08-2024, 08:30 PM
(05-08-2024, 08:26 PM)Kyng Wrote: Here's a thought: how about Botswana?
- As with the Caribbean, any pre-independence shames are really just the shames of Britain, rather than of Botswana.
- When Botswana became independent (in 1966), it did so peacefully, without a bloody civil war.
- Ever since independence, Botswana has held free and fair elections (yes, there's one dominant party, but that's also true of Singapore, which was mentioned earlier).
- Botswana's had some of the fastest per-capita economic growth of any country in Africa. According to the IMF, it has a GDP (PPP) per capita of $20,097 - not far off the global average of $23,444.
- And finally, Botswana looks very good in comparison to its neighbours. South Africa, for example, is immediately disqualified from contention for "Country with the least bad history", because of apartheid. Likewise, Zimbabwe has suffered racism, oppression and poverty under Robert Mugabe.
So, there are several realistic contenders here!
I wouldn't say African nations don't count but most are relatively modern and haven't had many opportunities to commit atrocities yet outside of some of the more famous ones. I do think that's a thing to note though. It's counting a nation's 58 year history versus say the US's almost 250 or even more than that for some European, Middle Eastern, and Asian nations.