Wow, 2012 is here and all around us is hope and renewed zeal fueled by…
This post should have been published yesterday as my contribution to this year’s Blog Action Day.
For those who don’t know. Blog Action Day is a yearly event organized by BlogActionDay.org as a way of bringing bloggers around the world to focus on a particular topic on a chosen day. Over the years thousands of bloggers have participated in this program bringing attention to a particular topic.
Now, this year’s #BlogAction14 is focused on the problem of #Inequality.
No doubt, inequality comes in different forms. It could be gender inequality. Economic inequality. Racial inequality. etc.
It was therefore a real challenge to decide on what angle to take on the topic. But after much thought and considering the focus of the WebIncomeJournal.com I have decided on tackling it from the angle of economic inequality, which of course is a worldwide issue.
For example, the Guardian a few days ago reported a Credit Suisse study which shows that inequality is on the increase. Titled: “Richest 1% of people own nearly half of global wealth” the report states:
“Taken together, the bottom half of the global population own less than 1% of total wealth. In sharp contrast, the richest decile hold 87% of the world’s wealth, and the top percentile alone account for 48.2% of global assets,”
Now, that is about half the wealth of the world in hands of just 1%!
Does this make you mad?
Are you enraged because of this?
Or,
Does it make you think really deep?
As expected most of the comments on the Guardian article were nothing but abuses on the rich. A few others called for a revolution as the only solution to correct the “anomaly.”
This is not really different from what we have heard over the years. But unfortunately this has not in any way brought any solution. Instead this small clique has continued to grow wealthier while the majority continues to slide down the scale.
So, Will Shoulder the Change?
As much as most of us feel very passionate about this problem, there is no help if all we do is call on the high heavens to fall on the rich because to us they are being unfair to the rest of us.
As much as we recognize economic #inequality as evil that must be eradicated, expecting the super rich to come up with a formula of “redistributing” the commonwealth, is simply a day-dream.
First, we must understand that as far as humans are concerned, “equality” is a charade. Or what do you think of this:
“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” – (“The Parable of Talents,” from the Holy Bible).
While not denying the fact that there’s a conspiracy of the super rich to jealously guard the entrance to their little clique, the above scriptural reference is also an eye opener to the fact that if you must “have abundance” then you must be able to earn it.
You cannot expect the wealthy to simply hand over your own share of the wealth on a platter of gold.
The Political Class Will Not Do It, Either
It is also unfortunate that many others expect those in government to take the initiative to redistribute the common wealth. After all we have given them the mandate to manage the common pool.
But to me this is also another mistake. As we have seen all over the world, politicians are more concerned about their own pockets than the people who voted them into power.
Besides if they ever thought of doing anything about this problem they will only position us to create more wealth for the 1%
This is why I totally disagree with the Nigerian minister of finance and coordinator of the Nigerian economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. While speaking at a breakfast dialogue with the private sector organized by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) some time last year, she said:
“The other aspect that is worrying, is that growth in Nigeria is unequal. Inequality is high and rising…We have to create jobs, not just create wealth. If we don’t put our minds to this problem, the whole economy may be in danger.”
“We are growing, but not creating enough jobs. That is a very big challenge. The rate of growth that we have is good, but could be better. We need to grow faster. I think it needs to grow at least 9 to 10 percent to drive job growth the way we want.”
While I have high regards for my dear minister I however do not agree that the solution to economic inequality lies in government creating more jobs and not creating wealth.
If you have problems with this then you will need to check Forbe’s yearly list of the rich and tell me how many of those who have ever been in that list have ever created their wealth working a job!
Who Then Will Salvage The Situation?
As I sat down to do this articles thinking of what the disadvantaged can do to throw off the yoke of economic inequality, all I could remember is the story of Jacob and his uncle-employer, Laban as recorded in the Holy Bible.
Now, for those who might not be familiar with this story, Jacob was the son of the Jewish patriarch Abraham. Jacob, as a result of having a problem with his twin brother Esau, unceremoniously left home and for about 20 years stayed with his uncle Laban who “graciously” took him in as an employee.
Unfortunately for Jacob, Laban saw in him some form of free labor. And so, within the period of 20 years that Jacob stayed with him, Laban changed Jacob’s wages about ten times. Each time to the disadvantage of Jacob!
In fact, Laban did everything possible to ensure that Jacob remained a pauper in his employ knowing that as long as Jacob don’t have the economic power he would have no option but to remain in his employ!
Oh yes, that also reminds me that the slogan of the labor union in my dear country, Nigeria is, “Labor creates wealth!” And precisely so. But the question that I have always asked is, for whom is labor creating that wealth?
Hands up please if you know the answer!
Throw Off The Shackles of Slavery
The good news is that Jacob, after years of suffering in the hands of his uncle-employer, took the initiative to free himself.
He never waited for some labor movement to help him do it!
More so, he never agitated for a raise in wages knowing full well that a raise in wages will only keep you enslaved to that obnoxious employer!
So, how did Jacob did it?
Simple. He creatively started a side business!
He dreamed…
He strategized…
He made a plan…
And better still, he turned his plan into reality!
“And Laban said to him…’Name me your wages and I will give it. …What shall I give you?’ And Jacob said, ‘you shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks:
‘Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.'”
Now, space will not allow me to say much on this. Also I don’t think this is the time to sermonize too much. But the good news is that after about 6 years of putting his plan to work, the testimony was:
“Thus the man (Jacob) became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys!”
Yes, I passionately believe there is so much to learn from Jacob in our today’s world. You must understand that:
- It’s not about some labor movement
- It’s not about wage increase, even though that will help you on your way
- It’s not about agitating for wealth re-distribution
It’s about each of us taking the responsibility of breaking loose from the shackles of mental slavery. It’s about throwing off any beliefs that limits us from taking the initiative.
There’s so much opportunity that is waiting to be exploited in our today’s world. You too can get your own slice of the cake.
You need to change your mindset right now and you will see that the 1% that holds the 48% of global wealth is a club that is open to anyone who is ready for it.
You must understand that if you will only have it in your heart, God will put it in your hands!
As we look into this problem of #inequality worldwide therefore, my call is this: stop throwing stones at the super rich, stop regarding them as the real problem. Because the truth is, we are the problem!
If only you will make that decision today, you will discover that you have everything it takes to join the club.
Start Something Online Today
Have you not heard of the possibilities open to all of us on the net today?
If you are already spending most of your waking hours online, why not take the initiative to research ways of starting a side business on the net?
What is really holding you back?
Don’t you think it is time to take your future in your own hands?
There are books and resources all over the net that will guide you on starting a side business if only you will do the check. Check out resources like these ones
No one will do it for you. The responsibility is yours.
I hope this has helped in a way.
Will love it if you will help promote this article. Use #BAD2014, #Bad14 #BlogAction14, #inequality to promote.
