There is a disharmonious resonance between the lifecycle of the human. Immunodeficiency virus and that of its human host. In heavily affected countries, many people live long enough to reproduce and then die, leaving behind numerous orphans. This process has implications that we do not understand. While some foresee social disorder arising from legions of poorly socialized and unruly children grown to adulthood, the evidence is far from clear. Thesearguments and the evidence are reviewed in this article, particularly in relation to the links between premature death and electoral processes in southern Africa. © The Royal Institute of International Affairs 2006.