HB of Edleen writes:
I am latching on to the valid arguments of Mandla Radebe in the Express of November 19 by applying to our situation some internet wisdom.
What is the difference between the world’s poor and rich nations? No, it is not the age of the nation. India and Egypt are still poor after 2000 years while Canada and Australia rose to economic significance in just 150 years.
No, the availability of natural resources is also not required for success. Japan has limited territory, is 80 per cent mountainous, unsuitable for agriculture or farming, but is second in the world’s economy.
Is it then intelligence? Also not – executives from rich countries who interact with their counterparts from poor countries show no significant intellectual differences. Neither are racial and colour factors: migrants heavy in laziness in their country of origin are adequately productive in rich European countries.
What then is the difference? The difference is the attitude of the people, moulded for many years by education and culture. In developed countries the majority abide by the following principles of life: ethics, integrity, responsibility, respect for laws and regulations, the love for work, making the effort to save and invest and the will to be productive and to be punctual.
In South Africa only a small minority follow these basic principles in their daily life. We are not poor because we lack natural resources or because nature was cruel towards us. We are poor because we lack attitude.
