Redistribution of Wealth

English Speaking
Barriers to Success
Plan
* Being part of a minority * Growing up working class * Capitalism and Elitism
One may say that being black is not a problem at all, and in this modern day society that racism doesn’t exist. To an extent I can agree with that, I believe that you are not as likely to be abused verbally or physically just based on the colour of your skin. I also believe that there are more opportunities for young black men and young black women to succeed in the world. However, this doesn’t change the fact that there is a lack of equality in terms of getting jobs for people who are not white men; this can be highlighted with the lack of equal pay given to women and the obvious wealth gap between white men and black men.
Having decided the theme of my speech would be barriers to success I felt it would be unjust not to read the Nobel award winning ‘Development of Freedom’ by Amartya Sen. I feel she highlights the problems people will face from the moment they are born in terms of growing up to be successful. I believe that only once in a while will someone break through the clutches of a capitalist society and be able to truly live a successful life. I personally feel that class systems are one of the most important reasons as to why rich people stay rich and why the poor may have to always stay poor. People are born into specific class systems, I being born into that of a working class ‘African British’ family, and only being allowed the freedom to possible move up one class system and as shown in the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens, reaching the top will never happen. Not even if I were to work as hard as possible for as long as possible. I will still be under the feet of those who were born into wealth. The term old money and new money would be brought up here. Although, I may be able to achieve something in my life I feel it would be a lot easier for someone of a higher class than I to do so. A popular phrase my late grandfather would tell me is that ‘you’ll have to hop, skip run and jump to any place a white man could just walk to’.
I do believe that certain people will be able to free themselves from poverty or inequality but a sense of pragmatism is required when thinking of how things are within society. Although classes aren’t the only thing that would hold someone back I think it is a very important factor as to why people may not achieve as much as they deserve. I think capitalism and elitism hangs over the heads of many deserving people as a reason to why success won’t be attained. Not necessarily the economic definition of capitalism, but the more common meaning associated with Karl Marx. Although only being young myself I believe that many problems occurring globally are attributed to the most significant feature of capitalism which is the hunt for profits and extreme wealth, allowing rich people to earn more money and those who lack opportunities to indeed stay in such a way.
My personal views on capitalism may differ to that of many other people’s as I feel it’s not terrible. Although, I am one of the people that may have to wriggle away from its clutches I believe there is no world without capitalism and that it’s purely human nature. I am not a capitalist, I am a realist and having seen the problem at hand and realising it’s just the way things are, means I can just step back and conform.
I would like to credit my speech to Karl Marx and Amartya Sen for their keen insights on the problems that burden many, including you and me.
Thank you for listening.