The economic effect of Zambia's transition to independence, and the role of the United Nations in producing that effect

This research project examined the transition of Zambia from a British Colony to an independent nation in 1964, under the guidance of the United Nations. The transition had a dramatic effect on the economic development of the nation. At the time of independence, Zambia was one of the wealthiest countries in the region, with a successful copper export industry. In the first decade of independence, the economy struggled to maintain stability, and the people of Zambia suffered.; The United Nations, in their pursuit to grant political independence, ignored the important aspect of the establishment of adequate political and economic institutions. Their primary focus on free elections in the granting of independence to Zambia left the nation in a situation where economic growth and prosperity were unattainable. The resulting political and economic decisions by the new government have kept Zambia among the poorest countries in the world.