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Workers arrived at a factory in Harare, Zimbabwe at 7am, donned their protective goggles and overalls, and started the production line humming. In the past several years, as President Robert Mugabe has pursued ever-more radical economic policies, such as seizing private property, printing stacks of money and seeking to dictate prices, Zimbabwe has steadily de-industrialised. Shortages are common, of everything from bread to car parts, so it was only a matter of time before electricity joined the list. The first two countries are much too poor to subsidise Mugabe, and have responded to Zimbabwe's non-payment of its bills by reducing the amount they supply.