Meanwhile, in 1965, the whites' leader, Ian Smith, declared formal independence from Britain.

ECONOMIST: Joshua Nkomo

The island's voters, who are increasingly satisfied with their economic lot, have been showing little inclination to plump for formal independence.

ECONOMIST: Impatient China

Things are going so well that Antonio Palocci, the finance minister, recently resurrected the unpopular idea of giving the central bank formal independence.

ECONOMIST: Small rows and better economic numbers