Fifty billion dollars just doesn’t buy what it used to.

Within the coming weeks, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will introduce a $50 billion note -- enough to buy just two loaves of bread -- as a way of fighting cash shortages amid spiraling inflation. Zimbabwe is grappling with hyperinflation now officially estimated at over 230,000,000% -- and its currency is fast losing its value. As of last Friday, $25 billion Zimbabwean dollars were worth about one U.S. dollar.

When the government issued a $10 billion note just three weeks ago, it bought 20 loaves of bread. That note now can purchase less than half of a loaf of bread.

Many blame the hyperinflation on the failure of the government of long-time President Robert Mugabe. A power-sharing deal between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed in September -- brokered by former South African leader Thabo Mbeki -- raised hopes of halting Zimbabwe's plunge into economic destruction. But the implementation of the agreement has stalled over the appointment of cabinet ministries ... with the opposition accusing Mugabe of grabbing all key posts such as defense, home affairs, local government, foreign affairs and finance.

Such governmental and economic chaos is reminiscent of the failure of post-World War I Germany’s Weimar Republic -- which saw similar hyperinflation rates. The result then was an entire population willing to follow anyone who would promise them a better life.

Let us pray for the people of Zimbabwe! Things can get much worse.