The fact is that, governments show more preference to the rich than to the poor almost in every country in the world. Policies and laws are most times planned in such a manner that it favours big businesses, the rich, politicians, and influential institutions.
This is based on years of experience, disappointment and daily struggle encountered by the common man which has formed this belief. When the governments make large or big economic announcements, bail out banks, subsidize industries or say that the economy is on its way up. Meanwhile, the poor and the rest of the middle classes are faced with the increasing prices, wages, unemployment, bad healthcare and broken education systems. This gives an impression of the fact that the government is there to serve the rich and the powerful.
One of the greatest causes of this issue is the economic policies. When the government injects money into the banks or the big industries, the thought behind it is that the banks and industries will expand leading to creation of jobs and better economy. In theory, this sounds good.
However in the actual reality, the money is usually left at the summit. The banks get rich, owners of companies get more profits and executives receive bonuses and the workers continue to receive the same low wages. Goods and services prices are growing and an ordinary person is suffering.
Even though the government says it is contributing to the economy, the trickle down effect is not reached to the people who require it the most.
In Nigeria, this issue is very clear. Over the years, governments have announced loans, intervention funds and economic stimulus packages yet, many Nigerians are still poor. Small business owners struggle to access loans, farmers lack support and young people roam the streets jobless.
Meanwhile, politicians live in luxury, earning salaries and allowances that are far higher than what the average Nigerian can imagine. This gap between the leaders and the people makes it seem like the government belongs to a different world entirely.
Corruption also plays a major role in this problem. When public funds are stolen or mismanaged, the poor suffer the most. Money meant for hospitals, schools, roads and social welfare ends up in private accounts while contracts are awarded to friends and family members not to those who can do the job best.
As a result, projects are abandoned, services are poor and citizens lose trust in the government. Corruption turns government into a tool for personal enrichment rather than public service.
But it must be noted that not all is that straight forward as government hates the poor. In some cases, governments are caught up in these systems which are inherently biased towards the rich. Rich individuals and companies are more influential. They are able to lobby, finance political actions, employ attorneys, and influence the policies to accord to them.
While the poor lack this power. They are only able to vote and complain and their concerns are usually forgotten when there are elections. This inequality of power ensures that governments can listen more to the rich than the masses.
Another problem is lack of vision and poor leadership. Most leaders are interested in short term benefits rather than long term growth. They are more interested in remaining in power and not enhancing the lives of the citizens, the policies are not drafted with proper planning or knowledge on how they impact the poor.
For example, cutting off fuel subsidies or raising taxes without alternative only creates more suffering. As soon as leaders are not in touch with the realities of people, their decisions are always biased towards those who are already comfortable.
Governments can afford to implement policies that only favor few people in their societies because their citizens are not well informed. It is simpler to fool people with the sweet words and empty promises when they do not know how the economy functions and how leaders can change people with the policies. This is the reason why civic education and public awareness are quite essential. An educated population is more difficult to exploit.
Governments are expected to cater to all people and the poor and the vulnerable most. The society cannot develop when few are happy and the rest are not. Accountability must be there to bring about actual change. Leaders should be held accountable of their acts.
Anti corruption laws should be practiced and not written on paper. Public good has to be financed by the public. The emphasis of the policies should be on enhancing education and healthcare, employment, and small businesses as opposed to big corporations only. Once the poor are empowered, the whole economy is improved.
Citizens should insist on good leadership, vote, speak up and not tolerate bad leadership as the order of the day. The process of change does not take place in a day, but it starts when individuals cease to keep mute.
Note: All images are created using Meta AI
