Namibia holds the infamous record of being the country with the highest levels of inequality in the world (UNDP 2009). Almost 20 years after independence the country is still highly fragmented and this booklet provides an analysis how various forms of inequality were created and how they manifest themselves today. This booklet also outlines some of the initiatives taken after independence but concludes that systematic structural changes will be required to redress the enormous levels of socio-economic inequality that characterise the country today. The final chapter draws on various proposals from within Namibia and Southern Africa to sketch possible areas of intervention. It also draws on some encouraging international experiences in Venezuela.
The purpose of this booklet is to examine inequality in Namibia, including its causes, structural and otherwise, and the historical foundations thereof. Central to this booklet is the notion that inequality is a function of an economic system that creates economic injustice and is based on the needs of predatory capital. This system has become truly global over the years, producing high levels of poverty and inequality in various parts of the world, including Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Inequality in Namibia has deep roots and today’s levels of inequality can be traced back from the period of colonial dispossession to the market-driven economic policies pursued after independence.
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