A number of countries in Africa have a much higher standard of living than some former Soviet republics now. The fact that many Soviet people refuse to believe this empirical fact does not make it less true. The higher standard of living in places like Namibia versus Moldova is easy to see when we compare the relative purchasing power given in PPP statistics. An average person in Gaborone can purchase six to seven times what an average person in Bishkek or Dushanbe can.
Tadzhikistan $2,100
Kyrgyzstan $2,400
Nigeria $2,600
Ghana $3,100
Moldova $3,400
Namibia $7,300
Botswana $16,300
These particular figures are from the CIA World Factbook. But, figures from the IMF and World Bank are similar. Some countries in Africa are much better off than some former Soviet republics. This should not be controversial.
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