Since Zimbabwe's independence from British colonial rule in 1980, the country has gone from enjoying stable, democratic rule and prosperity to languishing in economic crisis and authoritarianism. In Freedom House's 2006 global ratings, Zimbabwe is considered "Not Free", earning the lowest and second lowest ratings in the respective categories of political rights and civil liberties. This puts the country in the same league as China, Iran, Russia and North Korea. The ruling party, ZANU (PF), has been in power since independence and Robert Mugabe has ruled the country continuously for twenty-six years, first as prime minister and then as president.

Mugabe's autocratic inclinations were evident as early as the 1980s, for example, in the mass murder of the Ndebele, a minority ethnic group with significant political clout. However, the latter half of the 1990s saw a series of challenges to what was ostensibly a stable regime. In 1997, the economy crashed due to unbudgeted financial compensation to war veterans as well as Zimbabwe's involvement in the DRC war. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai, reacted to the worsening economic conditions by staging a number of strikes and work "stay- aways". At the same time, activism by university students was broad and powerful, and when Suharto was overthrown in Indonesia by similar student activism, there was an anticipation that Mugabe would step down or be overthrown. This did not happen. However, the flurry of protest as well as the emergence of an independent press in 1997 culminated in the formation of the first major opposition party in Zimbabwe in 1999, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Its first leaders were the former leaders of the ZCTU, with Morgan Tsvangirai as president and Gibson Sibanda as his deputy.

Early Challenges to Mugabe's Rule
Since its inception, the MDC has faced numerous obstacles as the government has relentlessly attacked the party and its supporters. In the Parliamentary elections of June 2000, the MDC won 57 out of the contested 120 seats while the ruling party ZANU (PF) retained a majority, with 62 seats. For the first time, the regime faced a serious challenge to its existence so it became even more determined to hold on to power. The ensuing presidential election of 2002 was a colossal failure in the democratic exercise. Journalists were arrested or tortured; the independent Zimbabwe Daily News printing factory was bombed; opposition members were beaten, raped, and imprisoned; rallies and demonstrations faced the wrath of riot police; and dissension of any kind was suppressed. In the face of such heavy repression, the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai specifically showed remarkable resilience and courage.

Ultimately, though, Mugabe won the election and secured another six-year term. Since then, the opposition has floundered, the government has become even more brutal and Zimbabweans continue to lose hope that the crisis will end. At this crucial juncture, it is useful to pause and consider whether Zimbabwe is doomed or whether there is reason to look forward to democratic change in the future.