Economic Slavery

In most of the world, outright slavery has largely been eliminated. Unfortunately, most of the world’s people are economic slaves.

In the poorest regions of the world, wage rates are extremely low, and most people are forced to work very long hours to earn subsistence wages. The wealthier nations benefit from the products and services these distant “slaves” supply without having to actually go through the messy process of kidnapping the unfortunates and bringing them to work camps in their home countries.

Even in the developed world, economic slavery abounds.

Money begets money. People with family wealth tend to get better education and this opens the doors to jobs with power and influence. These fortunate individuals also have more ready access to money to invest in new businesses.

The leaders of large corporations can earn more than 400 times the average earnings of other employees.

Sports and entertainment celebrities can earn as much or more than many corporate leaders.

Authoritarian political leaders plunder even greater sums in some cases.

Throughout the world, mega cities have been created to house our surging population. Because land is limited in these cities, the cost of living is becoming so high that citizens that would normally be classified as middle class can barely afford to buy or even rent accommodations. Low-income earners have to work multiple jobs and share accommodations to squeak by.

These trends are stressing many societies to an incendiary level.

We’re better than that.

Kenneth B. Little