In Zimbabwe, Hyperinflation Made Everyone a Criminal Because You Had to Break the Law to Survive

Zimbabwean society was a paradox. There was tremendous violence and thievery perpetrated in the name of political power, and yet there was respect and relative peace between individuals and communities of different cultures.

The government, in an attempt to maintain control, stirred violence in the rural areas and townships. Opposition party members were brutally oppressed, while those supporting the ruling party were given special favour. There was violent land occupation in the name of land reform and access to food became a political tool. Increased government surveillance and control resulted in great acts of terror.

Yet, in stark contrast, people felt safe to walk home at night without fear of assault.

Instead of the government fostering order through justice, it used the justice system as a tool to oppress and restrict. Ordinary citizens became accustomed to breaking the myriad of new laws that were issued in an attempt to control the population. Slowly, the formal justice system broke down. Respect for authority deteriorated, and the values held dear within the culture slowly began to erode.

Despite the peaceful culture, hyperinflation wore away at people’s ethical resolve over time. As millions were impoverished and government control increased, the only way to survive was through bribery, corruption and illegal activities. To continue about their everyday, peaceful lives, Zimbabweans had to break these laws. The paying and taking of bribes became an accepted norm.

Instead of obedience to the law, people had to use their own personal values and sensibilities in relationships as a guideline for what was wrong or right. Paying someone in US dollars, for example, wasn’t considered wrong by most people even though it was illegal, while stealing bread was considered wrong.

Yet, slowly values deteriorated with the heightening levels of desperation, and petty theft became frequent. Whatever could be stolen in public spaces disappeared. Anything that was made of wood was used for fire. Any movable metal was taken and sold as scrap. At one stage, all the road signs disappeared, many to be used as rudimentary funnels as barter in fuel increased.

Petty theft grew to be a big problem. There are stories of entire automatic gates being stolen (but very rarely would the thieves then go on to break into the house). Businesses struggled with inventory theft because staff just didn’t earn enough money to make ends meet. Truck drivers would siphon off fuel from truck tanks. Farmers’ crops and livestock were often stolen — particularly the livestock, which would typically disappear during the night.

In summary, theft revolved around stock shrinkage and theft of public property. Violent and aggressive disrespect for private property, muggings and house break-ins only started becoming a problem once hyperinflation had completely destroyed the economy and social values had deteriorated considerably.

—Philip Haslam and Russell Lamberti, When Money Destroys Nations: How Hyperinflation Ruined Zimbabwe, How Ordinary People Survived, and Warnings for Nations that Print Money (Johannesburg: Penguin Books, 2014), e-book.