For those who don't know Rhodesia was the unrecognized white government ran by Prime Minister Ian Smith that was located in present day Zimbabwe.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Flag_of_Rhodesia.svg/600px-Flag_of_Rhodesia.svg.png)
Rhodesian flag
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c8/Ian_Smith_portrait_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Ian Smith
Economically speaking Rhodesia was a hell of a lot better off than in present day Zimbabwe. During it's time it was know as the bread basket of Africa despite all the sanctions put on the nation. The white government eventually fell to Robert Mugabe's forces in December 12th, 1979 and thus Zimbabwe came out from the ashes. That was when it really started to hit the fans. In the beginning days of the new black government the economy was still pretty decent but as time went on it started to get worse because of all the economic policies put in place.
If you look at the economic freedom index here. (http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking)
Zimbabwe is ranked 175th. Just a steps above Cuba(176th) and two steps above North Korea(177th and dead last)
I did not agree with Rhodesia politically, because I read somewhere that they had a racial system similar to that of Apartheid South Africa.
But today economically speaking, in Zimbabwe hyperinflation continues to eat away at the money supply not to mention unemployment is as high as 80 percent