Why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer | Us & Them | DW Documentary

As societies get more prosperous, more and more people are unable to afford many basic needs. In South Africa and in the UK, Liz and Sakhumzi believe in the virtues of capitalism, whilst Jamie and Princess struggle to make ends meet.

Despite the UK being one of the richest countries in the world, 20% of its population - around 14 million people - live in poverty. That includes Jamie, who is unemployed and relies on food banks. Meanwhile Liz, a London socialite, believes that anyone can enjoy success. Jamie would like to work, but after a devastating car accident, he finds it difficult to get the right job that allows him to pay for rising rent costs.

South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world with an unemployment rate of 30%. Despite the difficult conditions, Sakhumzi, a self-made millionaire, runs several local businesses, employing hundreds in the township of Soweto. Princess, a mother of four, however, struggles to find a stable job, making it impossible to pay her daughter’s school fees. She dreams of building a home where the family would be able to live together one day.

Such inequality not only has serious personal consequences, it also poses problems for the general well-being of society, costing billions in damage to the economy, communities, and individuals.

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[omaro]

That lady saying everyone has the same opportunity as her is not that intelligent. There are disparities based on neighborhoods, towns, urban vs rural poverty, cities or even whole countries. Someone from Central African republic which is one of the poorest countries in Africa doesn’t have to same opportunities vs someone in Britain.

[RaveiD]

This video has succinctly encapsulate the adage "Privilege is invisible to those who have it".

[gobot]

I have grown from abject poverty (war refugee) to well off (top 10% earner, US). What I have observed is that it is not what you know but who you know that determines your success. You will only rise so high on the wings of your talent. The rest is a myth invented to keep those below you down, and a balm to soothe what passes for a conscience.

[amuletts]

Rich Lady: "I started off living a very conventional life. I was a debutante." Ah yes, and that opportunity is available to everyone!!

[aidanhoneyman]

if all you had to do to get rich is work hard, far more people would be millionaires. It is the biggest scam ever

[rushithafonseka]

The swift do not always win the race, nor do the mighty win the battle, nor do the wise always have the food, nor do the intelligent always have the riches, nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all.”—Ecclesiastes 9:11.

[Melanie-lohd]

Jamie, I truly admire your courage and resilience. You don’t deserve the misfortunes that befell you. I really hope things turn around for you 🤞🏼Sending lots of love❤

[josepedrosantiagosilva]

In Europe, there's a growing sense of neglect towards the younger generation. They face lower salaries, longer work hours, and increased responsibilities while witnessing a surge in billionaires, particularly in countries like Germany.
The housing market adds to their woes, as property prices soar, making it difficult to afford homes, let alone start families. To compensate, cheap labor from abroad is often favored, leading to frustration among the youth, who feel betrayed.
People aren't inherently racist, but this frustration arises when governments prioritize external labor over addressing domestic issues. It's high time politicians acknowledge and tackle these pressing concerns rather than resorting to distractions. The younger generation deserves meaningful change.

[yamuiemata]

The rich say "work hard and you will reach the top too" but what they actually mean is "work hard to increase the company's profits"
The productivity increased 20x and profits don't trickle down to workers wage increase since the 2008 crisis, meanwhile the living standards have increased.

[somerandomfella]

Even if everyone had the same starting point, there will never be such thing as equality.

[mickl]

The attitude of the normal people made me smile and feel glad. The wealthy guy in SA was a good guy but the wealthy debuntante woman reminded me of Mr Gradgrind from Dickens novel 'Hard Times'.

[Mumbo_Jumbo_Kiwi.]

"You are not special because of your problems" - Sakhumzi. It's right up their with the wisest of words

[danielcaceres]

The lack of opportunity makes all the difference… the more money you have the more opportunities you get

[Witchfoot.Incorporated]

We dont even want to be financially equal. We just want to be able to afford life.

[crypto_que]

There are no shortage of out of touch wealthy people telling no us that poverty doesn’t exist. How did this woman run a way from domestic life unmarried and open a nightclub…IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!? There’s a huge gap there, no financial history? Credit? Was she staked by some drug dealer or pirate?

[oakiode]

Poor is a state of mind, poverty is a living condition. Free and high quaity education is the key to eradicate poverty.

[codegreenie]

I believe there are 2 things to become rich.

1. A loving home to grow up from
2. Wealth to start with (stepping stone)

[suphakdsenawannasaenkhat]

Even the top philosophers who studied the chances of one’s success condluded that, 40% are from individual’s talent while 60% are from systematic factors (outside factors). Thus, this means no matter how hard you try, you will always have the challenge of 60% based on things you cannot control in life

[momomomo-ltfs]

I really like the cafe the dude volunteers to. What a wholesome place.

[simoni]

When you speak from a platform of privilege, you think everyone has "all the opportunity or chance". In real life, this is never true! There are some people who, by where they are, they are nearly guaranteed to succeed and the opposite too.

The mentality by the successful that their success is always a result of merit is the very same driver of poverty in poor people, since by that logic, it means the poor are so by merit too. This isn't always the case as often we see the poor are already systematically disadvantaged in many ways, and the rich privileged in others. This is not "merit" if the playground is not level, to begin with.