BUSINESS ABROAD: Perils of Progress

Capitalism can fall into some unexpected pitfalls in its travels around the world, but none more surprising than in Guinée, French West Africa. Recently, so goes the tale, a wealthy chieftain bought a brand-new car from a local auto dealer, proudly drove it away, filled with his numerous family. A few miles down the road, he skidded into a ditch and overturned. Though no one was badly hurt, the car was wrecked. Wrathfully. the chief returned to the dealer and demanded a new car because, he said, the wrecked one had been bewitched. As an expert witness he brought along a witch doctor, who corroborated every word. To preserve his good will in the area, the harassed dealer had no recourse but to give the chief a new car—and wonder what would happen to the auto insurance market in Guinée.