Don’t kid yourself: there’s no reason to believe the economic crisis is anywhere near over. This could take years, and it will hurt. But instead of explaining why I’m so pessimistic, I take a look around me and smile. Wherever you turn in South Africa, you find people enthusing about their latest pet project, great idea, or new business.

They’re not all great ideas. Some are little more than marketing gloss over something vaguely cool, but coolly vague. Some are hopelessly naive dreams of a commons in which everyone contributes according to their ability, and consumes according to their need. Too many just hope to hit a jackpot during six weeks in 2010.