“The greatest power is not money power, but political power”—Walter Annenberg
According to an analysis, 47% of Pakistan’s population can be categorized as poor, 49% make up the middle class, and merely 4% are in the upper class. The poor, who are mostly illiterate, struggle for money to fulfill their day to day needs. Ones belonging to the working class or lower middle class are usually minimally educated and rely on manual labour to make ends meet. They—domestic help, cleaners, peons, construction workers, waiters etc—are generally unskilled, with their jobs having hardly any element of prestige and low wages, although dignity of labour is preached widely, but only verbally. Among them, skilled workers or those with ‘blue collar’ jobs - electricians, cooks, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics etc. - are financially more secure, even when compared to their educated counterparts, like school teachers, clerks, or computer, air-conditioner and refrigerator technicians.
Sandwiched between the upper class and the lower ones, is the middle class, whose members are academically and professionally more knowledgeable with ‘white collar’ jobs. This class is further distinguishable on account of its members’ incomes and wealth, which means that there is, one can say, an average middle class and an upper middle class. As far as money is concerned, both surpass the lower classes by all standards. For them, making good money is not that difficult and they are able to manage their finances quite comfortably.
When it comes to the upper class, whether the wealth is newly acquired or the wealth is generational, money is certainly no issue. Persons belonging to these classes are exceptionally rich and can afford luxuries that the lower classes can only dream of. This class has more money than it can spend, has ample time to indulge in pleasurable pursuits, enjoys living in exclusive neighborhoods, can afford all the amenities of life, drive expensive cars, provide their children with education at the most prestigious institutions, celebrate extravagantly and above all, use their money power to influence bureaucrats and politicians to serve their interests.
In our beloved country, although the electorate comprises the largest segment of its population, it has very little representation from its own economic class in the parliaments. The majority of elected members in Parliament are usually from feudal backgrounds or from affluent families who have sufficient time and money at their disposal to run for elections. They claim to be the people’s representatives, but their lifestyles and attitude hardly reflects any characteristics of their voters. One can take the example of village panchayat heads, who are apparently the most powerful and wealthy, and who are given the authority to decide the fate of their fellow villagers. They may not see eye to eye with a poor farmer’s plight, while ostracizing him and his family for a petty offence to feed his starving child. Similarly, members of Parliament may lay claim to finding solutions for their voters’ multiple problems, but other than a few isolated favors, there remains much which they are unable to do in their limited duration in office owing to their inability to understand and empathize with the plight of the median Pakistani voter.
Interestingly, out of the ten super rich Pakistanis reported in 2023, only two are active in politics, while one of them is invited or chooses to join in whenever a government or he himself desires. The remaining are obviously busy in multiplying their wealth and spreading the arms of their businesses wherever there is a gap or an opportunity springs up. One should actually appreciate their efforts in helping the economy to grow, providing the people of this country much needed employment opportunities and contributing at least something to the government in the form of taxes. One should also sincerely acknowledge their enterprising nature and the fact that they have held onto their businesses in ways far better than the way our governments have handled the country, though in some cases due to thriving on incentives, exemptions and subsidies.
They are successful because they recognize merit, are wise in their approach and are definitely prudent in their expenditure. They have thus practically proven their business prowess and their ability to run the complicated machinery of their respective organizations. In moving ahead, they do face a number of crises and individually and through their representative bodies criticize unfavorable business circumstances and policy inconsistencies on the part of the governments, yet they never allow their houses . Besides, they keep on vying for new business ventures after due diligence otherwise they simply decline.
Benjamin Franklin said: “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else,” a quote befitting almost all successive governments that have remained in power in Pakistan and have kept throwing the blame of their incompetence on their predecessors—a tradition which continues to this day. Once members are elected and a government takes control, responsibility of actions taken during the course of their tenure cannot be said to fall on anyone other than themselves.
To the majority, the dazzling lure of power is not only too tempting to resist, but is highly addictive. Nevertheless, when those who are just hungry for power, have no empathy for the downtrodden and no intentions of keeping promises made to the public, contest elections, they start looking for reinforcements. In other words, they need the nod of those-who-matter, as well as financial surfing boards to ride the waves of power. Everything comes with a price tag and those who want to influence without the stigma of failed politics, know exactly which strings to pull to their advantage.
What is the fun of authority without power? What is the point of walking with crutches if both legs are in working order? What is so tantalizing to be in the driving seat when the vehicle is being manually pushed? Why is not, stepping-down a braver choice rather than prostrating before idols? Perhaps Jim Hightower was right when he said: “The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.” Brave are those whose conscience is alive, who are committed to their cause, their people and their country. They have the grit to defy the influence of the rich and powerful, and their most prized quality is that rather than bending before force merely to remain in power, they will turn again to the people for support. As Clarke Freeman said: “Conscience is the root of all true courage; if a man would be brave let him obey his conscience.”