|
Technology Widens Rich-Poor Gap - By Phillip Emeagwali
Continued
It’s a shocking reality, but the deep oil reserves laid down by Mother Nature
millions of years ago and nurtured through the millennia in Africa have been
whittled away within decades. And, for the dubious privilege of surrendering its
natural resources forever, Nigeria is required to pay half its petroleum revenue
in the form of “royalties” to the rich kids on the global block, the United
States and the Netherlands.
|
|
That oilfield has been exchanged for a bowl of
porridge, and the black gold that should serve the underserved in Nigeria is
helping wealthy Westerners get wealthier.
Today, half the world’s population — three billion people — live on an average
of $500 a year. In contrast, Bill Gates earns $500 every second. By controlling
technology and taxing computer users, Gates has become wealthier than each of
the 70 poorest nations on earth and using his financial might has conquered more
territory than Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great combined.
While Bill Gates is the new millennium’s Prince of Technology, he is by no means
the first to have taken on the huge potential offered by the realm of
technology. The Romans used roads and military technology to expand their
empire. And, for centuries, Britain ruled a quarter of the Earth due to its
unparalleled ability to command maritime technology and conquer the Seven Seas.
Britain undoubtedly established itself as the world’s first superpower through
its rapid and ruthless colonial expansion program. The British raised the Union
Jack over Canada and Australia, India and Hong Kong, Egypt and Kenya, and
countless other countries — even the United States. The Union Jack cast its
shadow in every global time zone, giving rise to the saying, “The sun never sets
on the British Empire,” a fact that was cold comfort to the colonized nations.
In the same way, the United States has embraced its technological supremacy,
both offensively and defensively, to build its own global empire without a
physical presence in any of its “colonies.” The sole remaining superpower is at
the forefront of every major technological advancement, which it has used to
become deeply embedded in three-quarters of the globe. The US has accomplished a
virtual economic colonization manifesting its presence throughout the globe by
harnessing the power of technology and capitalizing on its clay of wisdom.
Africa’s inability to realize its potential and embrace technology has left it
at the mercy of the West. The time has come for Africa to seize the day and
resist the efforts of America and others to leave their imprint and plunder its
natural resources.
Numerous examples throughout history support the idea that technology can be
used as a tool of oppression. And there’s little doubt that America’s
technological advancement has allowed it to exploit natural resources around the
world. This is particularly evident in Africa, where the US is exploiting
oilfields beneath the pristine rainforest — and being rewarded with a 40-percent
tax at the expense of the African people. This lends credence to history’s
assertion that those who control technology oppress those who do not, eventually
enslaving them and, finally, wielding power around the globe.
Excerpted from a keynote speech delivered by Philip Emeagwali at the African
Diaspora Conference in Tucson, Arizona. For the entire transcript and video,
visit www.emeagwali.com.
Return to Page 1
Return to News and Commentary Index
|
