Is it "too early to tell" whether South Africa will turn out like Zimbabwe?

Great Debates
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For anyone who cares, this was discussed [. I’m tempted to participate, but I still remember how mad MrDibble was. (:

In fact, OP, you even asked the [URL=“http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13785181&postcount=54”]very same question](Will South Africa go the way of Zimbabwe? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board):

[A better question would be: Why didn’t Zimbabwe go the way of South Africa? They started out in almost exactly the same place, after they abolished their white-only governments.
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]([QUOTE=BrainGlutton;13785181)

I will say (again) that South Africa isn’t as rosy as the OP paints it to be, but South Africa and Zimbabwe are two very different states with two very different histories. Do you also make threads asking why Italy and Poland are so different?