Political Science

The rich become richer and the poor become poorer is a cry heard throughout the whole civilized world-Johann Friedrich Von Schiller Quotes Johann Friedrich Von Schiller(1759-1805) German dramatist, poet and historian.

Schillers statement rings true more than three centuries later largely due to entrenched global economics that perpetrate dependency and exploitation. The success of capitalism over socialism has bequeathed a legacy that supports survival for the fittest while those in power will forever exploit the poor to enrich themselves.

While in Kenya for holidays, I visited the Kibera slums on the outskirts of the capital city, Nairobi. It is one of the largest in the world and houses the proletariat which works in the nations industries. Mud houses with tin roofs, lack of piped water or electricity, lack of sewage facilities (hence the term flying toilets to depict how the residents dispose of human waste) and, insecurity characterizes life in this area. Poor health facilities contribute to the high incidence of diseases while rampant prostitution has increased the number of Aids infected, and affected victims.
 
This situation has persisted since independence and is getter worse as rural- urban migration swells the number of people moving into the slums. Successive members of parliament have done little to alleviate suffering in this area. The much heralded slum upgrading program failed to benefit those targeted for relocation while most slum dwellers made accusations that beneficiaries of the newly built houses were relatives and friends of the politically connected.

During the post election violence that rocked Kenya in 2008, politicians from both sides of the political divide incited their tribesmen to wage war against one another. When anarchy reigned, the same slum dwellers that had uprooted the railway, burnt shops, and murdered each other were crying for aid as food rations ran out countrywide. All the while, the politicians responsible for the mayhem were ensconced in their well guarded houses with enough food to feed an army.  

I asked a Kenyan friend of mine why consecutive Kenyan governments had done little to address the plight of the urban poor. He confided in me that the best control mechanism for the masses was to ensure widespread poverty. Poor people will always seek handouts, and the benefactor, will always control the beneficiaries. He continued by saying that if the residents had decent  housing, clean water and access to good medical facilities, they would have no need for  the politicians. In a bid to entrench their influence, politicians initiate projects that are stillborn thus giving the masses false hopes this strategy works well in both the urban and rural areas.

Globally, rich countries adopt the same principle. The numerous deductions in terms of consultancy fees and expatriate salaries whittle down the amount of aid distributed to needy states. The aid that actually reaches the ground is a pittance and cannot achieve the program objectives. Poor countries have been unable to increase their capacity to create wealth from such aid and are in perpetual debt trying to repay loans received from the donor nations.

In conclusion, the way the world runs today, the poor will remain impoverished as the rich continue to exploit them for personal gain. Until such a time that the poor are empowered economically, the status quo is destined to remain the same.