So it has begun - the South African government is moving to confiscate White-owned farms. And no, it is nothing like eminent domain in the US where the government takes your land if it needs it for some kind of project like a highway or airport and pays the owner what is believed to be fair price. In South Africa the idea is to restore social - or, should I say, racial justice by taking the farms from White minority farmers, paying them little to no compensation, and transfer the ownership of those farms into the hands of the Black majority.
So far, it is just two farms, with the proposed compensation at about 10% of their estimated full value. This is probably just a trial balloon.
I will at this point skip the obviously racist aspect of this action as clearly the criterion used is the skin color of the farms' current owners - not their political affiliation or actions. That I think is quite obvious. I just want to focus on what South Africans of all colors will likely have to face as a consequence of this action.
So, to start - South Africa is now a country where property rights are somewhat diluted. Hence it can expect diminishment in foreign investment. It is that simple - if I am asked to invest in something that may be confiscated by some government honchos at will I am far less likely to invest. The same I believe would apply to many other potential investors.
Secondly - these White farmers are experts at using their land to cultivate their farms. Some farms that have changed hands in the last few decades now lie fallow due to misuse by new owners. It is not easy to work these farms. Some White farmers have been driven away from their land by high levels of deadly criminal violence. If administrative state violence accelerates this process this will likely cause farm productivity to go down. If it is true that every one of these farms provides enough food for about 3,000 people then South Africa may be facing a very grim spiral of diminished food followed by rising prices followed by food shortages among the poorer layers of the population followed by violence and rising prices and further diminished productivity due to violence. It is, simply put, a death spiral.
So my question to those in favor of this program would be, are you sure you understand what it is you support? I will concede that mass graves do provide a measure of justice as everyone in one is equally dead. Are you sure that is the sort of justice you desire?
Sources
South Africa begins seizing white-owned farms in land redistribution program
Victor Morton, Washington Times, 20 August 2018
South Africa Begins Stealing Land From People Based on their Skin Color
@styxhexenhammer, 22 August 2018
The End of South Africa. Prepare Yourself.
Stefan Molyneux ( @freedomradio ), 22 August 2018