On July 7, 2008, Roger Bate predicted in the Wall Street Journal that inflation would lead to a “medieval economy” in Zimbabwe:

While the international community, the African Union and Zimbabwe’s neighbors may not be able to stop Mugabe, the economy might. With no means of exchange, a barter economy is already taking hold with services being traded instead of cash. If Mugabe doesn’t relinquish power soon, Zimbabwe will resemble a medieval economy – and a poor one at that – within weeks.