I have read the piece and it reminds me of Kebri Dahar and how I can relate to its contemporary state of affairs. Ethiopia, despite her many economic and political challenges, marginalized the Somali Region of Ethiopia for quite long time. Anyone who visits can see the difference between this region and other parts of the nation. In this regard, environment matters a lot not only for entrepreneurship but also for thinking straight.
Two key components appear make part of your piece.
The first one is that one needs to appreciate the privileges they have including clean water, fresh air and so on. The other component is to do with 'being trapped' in the smoky reality of poor environment. It takes a lot of energy to get out from incapacitating surroundings; your people, the neighberhood, and places you were born and raised--as if this is the only world that exists.
Yes, growing inequality in Nigeria (and elsewhere). Big palaver! The situation in depressed parts of Lagos is no doubt getting even worse than what I experienced while I was last there in the late 80s.
According to Karl Marx (Capital Vol I, p. 798):
"The greater the social wealth, the functioning capital, the extent and energy of its growth, and therefore also the greater the absolute mass of the proletariat and the productivity of its labour, the greater is the industrial reserve army. The same causes which develop the expansive power of capital, also develop the labour-power at its disposal. the relative mass of the industrial reserve army thus increases with the potential energy of the wealth. But the greater this reserve army in proportion to the active labour-army, the greater is the mass of a consolidated surplus population, whose misery is in inverse ratio to the amount of torture it has to undergo in the form of labour. The more extensive, finally, the pauperized sections of the working class and the industrial reserve army, the greater is official pauperism. This is the absolute general law of capitalist accumulation."
This was truly a heart-touching and thoughtful read. Thank you for sharing this conversation between Richard and Maja.
Thanks for the feedback.
I have read the piece and it reminds me of Kebri Dahar and how I can relate to its contemporary state of affairs. Ethiopia, despite her many economic and political challenges, marginalized the Somali Region of Ethiopia for quite long time. Anyone who visits can see the difference between this region and other parts of the nation. In this regard, environment matters a lot not only for entrepreneurship but also for thinking straight.
Two key components appear make part of your piece.
The first one is that one needs to appreciate the privileges they have including clean water, fresh air and so on. The other component is to do with 'being trapped' in the smoky reality of poor environment. It takes a lot of energy to get out from incapacitating surroundings; your people, the neighberhood, and places you were born and raised--as if this is the only world that exists.
The Kijana from Kabri Dahar. It is pleasant to see how far you have grown. And the appreciation of your privileges.
Yes, growing inequality in Nigeria (and elsewhere). Big palaver! The situation in depressed parts of Lagos is no doubt getting even worse than what I experienced while I was last there in the late 80s.
According to Karl Marx (Capital Vol I, p. 798):
"The greater the social wealth, the functioning capital, the extent and energy of its growth, and therefore also the greater the absolute mass of the proletariat and the productivity of its labour, the greater is the industrial reserve army. The same causes which develop the expansive power of capital, also develop the labour-power at its disposal. the relative mass of the industrial reserve army thus increases with the potential energy of the wealth. But the greater this reserve army in proportion to the active labour-army, the greater is the mass of a consolidated surplus population, whose misery is in inverse ratio to the amount of torture it has to undergo in the form of labour. The more extensive, finally, the pauperized sections of the working class and the industrial reserve army, the greater is official pauperism. This is the absolute general law of capitalist accumulation."
Deep and insightful. Merci beaucoup...