PART 2:POWER, PRIDE AND POVERTY: WHY DO THE POOR ACT SUBSERVIENT TO THE RICH?

 1. Why do the poor act subservient to the rich?

a. Survival Strategy

Historically, deference to wealth and power has often been a survival tactic. In many environments, the rich hold not just money but access — to jobs, help, favors, or protection. Being submissive can seem like a safer way to secure support or avoid conflict.

b. Internalized Class Hierarchy

When people grow up in systems where wealth = power = respect, they can subconsciously accept that those with money are “better” or more deserving of submission. It’s learned behavior, not necessarily “natural.”

c. Cultural Respect vs. Subservience

In African cultures, respect is a major value — toward elders, authority figures, and even wealth. But sometimes that respect crosses into servitude due to:
    •    Fear
    •    Low self-worth
    •    Hopelessness
    •    A history of being treated as “lesser”

d. Colonial Residue

Let’s not forget the colonial mindset. Colonialism created a racial and class-based inferiority complex, where authority, money, and superiority were always external or “above.” This distorted sense of hierarchy still lingers — not just in governments but in the minds of the people.

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2. Why is it so common among Africans?

It’s not that it’s innate. That would suggest Africans are born with a slave-like mentality, which is untrue and dangerous. Rather:

a. Historical Oppression
    •    Slavery
    •    Colonialism
    •    Neo-colonialism
These events stripped many African societies of agency and reinforced a top-down power structure.

b. Socioeconomic Inequality

The divide between rich and poor is wider and harsher in many African countries, with weak middle classes. So, power feels unreachable, and rich people seem god-like. That creates exaggerated reverence.

c. Religious Teachings Misinterpreted

Some religious doctrines — when misapplied — teach patience, meekness, and suffering as virtues. Many poor Africans are taught to “wait for their turn,” or that “God will bless them if they serve others humbly.” This reinforces passivity.

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3. So what can change this?
    •    Education that teaches critical thinking and human dignity.
    •    Empowerment of grassroots communities.
    •    Fair systems where wealth isn’t everything.
    •    Cultural reform that separates respect from fear.
    •    Narratives that show that the poor are not weak, and the rich are not gods.