All human beings are equal in eyes of God, that is what the saying goes. Still we find that there are wide disparities in the society within the country, across the countries and the continents. Is it a God’s creation or a man’s doing? One can argue either way but no wonder. It is something which would exist for all times to come. Perhaps the human beings across the globe has to come together as a society to do its best to bridge the gap but wonder whether they can even eliminate it. Human beings are driven by basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing. Is it available to them on its own without working towards it? The answer has to be resounding no. That is where the economy employment and productivity of an individual and the country as a whole matters. The entrepreneurship, productivity of the individuals gives raise to haves and havenots. On a larger perspective at national level, resources of a country coupled with its productive utilization give raise to countries prosperity.
Individual Level
In essence Haves can be categorized as those individuals who are driven by initiatives, knowledge, ambition, entrepreneurship, sense of social belongingness, a desire to contribute to the society, thus becoming a nuclei and source of further employment. In a socialist fabric of the society, the wealth is sought to be distributed amongst all irrespective of whether one is productive or not. In a capitalist fabric, the market forces provide a self correcting mechanism to apply pressure on all sectors of the society to extract the best and effectively improve the productiveness.
On the other hand, have nots are the one who are on the lower rungs of the society who are categorized as less productive. This could be because they have not had enough exposure to knowledge, skills which they lack and have not enough grasp of the same. They may also be a group having knowledge but lack in initiative and drive to achieve greater tasks and responsibilities.
Country Level
While the above traits are described at the individual level, at the country level, the economics policies of the government, its resources such as human, material and capital fuels its growth. A healthy competition makes it vibrant and such countries dictate the global economy as well.
For the most part, socioeconomic barriers are caused by two things: skepticism and a lack of funding. In some cases, the government or certain NGOs are attempting to provide funding to parents who cannot afford to send their children to school by themselves. Donations by organizations and individuals help children to receive education. However, it can be difficult to try to convince people to embrace education if they do not readily believe it. For some, simple projections of potential positive results are not enough; they need to see concrete proof of how and when education is useful, and they need reassurance that it will help their children, too.
At the individual level, haves and have nots are categorized as rich, middle class, poor etc. The country based on the economic prosperity wields a significant economic clout and provides an excellent opportunity to its citizens to become economically self dependant and general well being of the society. A comparison even among various individuals within a country which is economically self dependant and prosperous can still be categorized as Haves and Have nots based on their individual economic levels. But in my perceptions, Haves and Have nots should not be categorized based on sustenance of individual to be materialistically prosperous. But based on the capability to sustain themselves to bring about a change in themselves to meet their basic needs. Good Governance of a country and individual aptitude and initiative to make good the opportunity provided by the Government decides the economic well beingness of a country and the capability of the society to bridge the gap between Haves and Havenots.
1. Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.
2. More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening
3. Lest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.
4. According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.
5. Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.