Rhodesia was a democratic nation in the sense that it had the Westminster parliamentary system with multiple political parties contesting the seats in parliament, but as the voting was dominated by the White settler minority and that the black africans only had a minority level of representation at that time, it was regarded as a racist state internationally. National motto: Sit Nomine Digna (Latin: May she be worthy of the name} Official language English Capital Salisbury Political system Parliamentary system Form of government Republic - Last President John Wrathall - Prime Minister Ian Smith Area  - Total  - % water 390 580 km² 1% Population  - 1978 est. ...

The political party that held sway throughout the UDI years was the Rhodesian Front, later known as the Republican Front. Ian Smith remained Prime Minister right up to the end of Rhodesia in 1979. The Rhodesian Front (RF) was a political party in Southern Rhodesia, later known simply as Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe, when the country was under white minority rule. ... Ian Smith on the cover of a 1965 TIME Magazine. ...

At the time of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence, Rhodesia's 1961 constitution provided for a governor (which was later defined as Officer Administering the Government), to be appointed by the British Sovereign, with political power residing with the unicameral Legislative Assembly, in which 50 out of the 65 seats in effect were reserved for whites. There were two separate voters' rolls, the A roll for 50 seats and the B roll for the remaining 15 seats. The 'A' roll was the General Roll (which was white dominated) and the 'B' Roll was a debased franchise roll for the black populace: the franchise however being limited to tribal chiefs and those who met property qualifications. The Rhodesians maintained that this was a non-racist constitution since the 50/15 power share split reflected the relative contributions of white and black communities to the "fisc" (that is, the tax take). In theory, progress to black majority rule was possible within this arrangement, although it would have taken many years to achieve this. The Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) was declared on November 11, 1965 by the white minority regime of Ian Smith, whose Rhodesian Front party opposed moves by the United Kingdom towards black majority rule in the then British colony. ... A governor is also a device that regulates the speed of a machine. ... In the Commonwealth Realms, the Administrator of the Government (often shortened to Administrator) is the person who, though acting in a gubernatorial capacity, is not given the title of Governor (or Governor-General or Lieutenant-Governor). ...

Ian Smith in his memoirs claimed that this arrangement would make an evolutionary transition to black majority rule rather than the debacles in other African nations as a result of rushed transition. But other observers maintain that the stubborn refusal to make immediate and visible progress to majority rule set in train events which are causing serious trouble in modern Zimbabwe to this day (2005).

The Republican Front government eventually drafted a new constitution, which further entrenched white minority rule and made the country a republic, following a referendum result in favour in 1969. Only those registered voters on both rolls were eligible to vote. Under this new constitution, there was a bicameral parliament consisting of an indirectly-elected senate, and a directly-elected House of Assembly, in which the majority of seats were once again reserved for whites. The new office of president was a ceremonial post, with executive power remaining with the prime minister. Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister A prime minister may be either: chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the...

The end of UDI and the Bush War were associated with an abrupt transfer of power to the insurgent backed, black political parties in 1980. Some observers feel that this resulted in some of the more stable elements in black civil society being marginalised. Consequently, Zimbabwe was not able to enjoy benefits of a managed transfer to democracy of the kind that took place in comparable neighbouring countries such as Botswana and South Africa.