Photo credit: Teen Vogue
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Madagascar, Peru, the Philippines, and Morocco have one thing in common. Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) has protested or is protesting a lack of opportunities, corruption, and nepotism resulting in maladministration in those countries.
One or two of those countries may be poor, but one should ask if their ruling elites are living like paupers.
Even though there might be wars, there’s no question about the fact that the whole world is not in an economic depression. It is a given that we’re facing a significant slowdown with projected weak growth, high inflation, and the potential for a global recession in some areas. There are concerning signs like rising interest rates, disruptions to supply chains, and falling trade growth there are not enough grounds for a depression.
I would think the situation in the world is more or less like the Biblical parable of talents by viewing nations, communities, and leaders entrusted with resources. How accountable are they in terms of resource stewardship, economic equality, and risks of action?
Each nation is entrusted with resources like natural wealth, intellectual capital, and manpower. Nations must decide whether to invest these resources on growth or squander them. How they manage and grow these assets is a measure of their stewardship.
If the resources are well-managed with a view to looking out for future generations, the nations will be the better for it. However, if the resources are wasted on frivolities, the nations will have themselves to blame.
Quite often the ordinary people are scapegoated as a result of the consequences of the wastage of resources. For instance, if a nation, rather than building institutions that matter like structures that provide employment opportunities, educational systems, social benefits, healthcare systems, agriculture estates, and so on, decides to embark on building stadia, airports, it may have itself to blame.
While I’m not necessarily saying building airports and stadia is not beneficial, methinks, nations should concentrate on basic amenities first. For instance, it’s a widely known fact that Moroccans love football. But not at the expense of their basic amenities, and that’s why the youth in Morocco are against the country’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup.
It’s all a matter of opportunity cost, an economic theory that the real cost of anything is the forgone alternative. Moroccan youth would prefer basic amenities to hosting the World Cup. I’m imploring leaders to do what would be most beneficial to the people, if we must stop all the clamour for change in the established order. If governments choose not to identify with peoples’ need for basic amenities, which are their rights and constitute a part of the social contract anyway, the answer, of course, would be, which country is the next for a Gen Z protest?
And, as it’s turning out, Gen-Z protests come with dire consequences!
