History of Livingstone

ed in the misuse of mineral and timer assets. Consequently, not only was the timber industry destroyed as forests around Mulobezi fell to chaotic strip mining by local tribesmen and Zambian businesses but environmental degradation occurred. Finally, the hoped for visions of state controlled industries ended as the manufacturing industry suffered from the inefficiencies of black-run enterprises. In the 1970s and 80s this was exacerbated by nationalization of the last white owned stakes in the copper mines and economic woes brought on by low copper prices. Finally, the absolute failure of the black run government's economic management was so total that when trade to the south restarted with Zimbabwean independence in 1980, Livingstone could not take advantage of it.

Consequently, in 1980, the town's economy was economically prostrate, the former elegant Northern Rhodesian homes, mansions, hotels, and civic structures had either been destroyed, in ruin, or dilapidated, and as a whole seemed stuck in a time warp of post-colonial failure. In turn, this meant not only that formerly elegant historic colonial buildings were not replaced by new development, it also meant the town could not afford to adequately preserve those that it had.

Nonetheless, all was not lost. In the 1981 movie The Grass is Singing (based on the Doris Lessing novel of that name) and starring Karen Black, John Thaw and John Kani, portions of Livingstone which remained viable were used as the location for a Southern Rhodesian town around 1950, for which year some of the streets in Livingstone could pass without modification.

In the last ten years, although manufacturing industry has continued to decline with the closure of textile businesses unable to compete with Asian imports, With the demise of Zimbabwe, Livingstone has