Why do poor people, like so many of our own folks, stay stuck in that rut, while the rich just keep piling up more and more? It’s a heavy topic, but it is one we’ve all seen play out in our lives. Whather it’s the chaiwala on the corner barely scraping by or the big-shot industry I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and honestly, it’s a mix of things. There are Some stuff we can control, Some we can’t, And a lot of it’s just woven into the fabric of how our world runs,
Allow me to present to you my understanding of why poor stay poor and rich work on the invert.
The Game’s Alredy Rigged?
You know how it is, money makes money.
If you’ve got a Lakh or two lying Around, you can toss it into a fixed deposit, boy some shares, or even start a small side hustle. That cash starts growing, almost like magic (compounding,
But if you’re a daily wage worker in Mumbai or a farmer in Punjab, Where’s that Extra Lakh Coming from? Your Whole Salary’s Gone Before The Month Ends, Rent, Dal-Chawal, Kids’ School Fees. Forget Investing; You’re just trying to keep your head Above water.
I Remember My Cousin Vinod, Who Drives an Auto in Delhi. He Told Me Once, “Bhaiya, I Can Barely Make 800 Rupees a Day If I’m Lucky, but after Fuel and Rent, I’M Left With Maybe 200. How do I save?”
Meanwhile, The Guy Who Owns The Flat He Rents? He’s sitting pretty, collecting 3,000 a month from Vinod and ten other tenants, probally sipping coffee in a fancy café while the money rolls in.
That’s the thing, the rich have assets that work for them, while the poor are stuck work for every paisa.
Schooling makes the differentice
Growing up in India, we’ve all heard it: “Padhai karo, beta, life ban jayegi.”
But let’s be real, not every kid gots the same shot at that dream. My former colleague’s son goes to a government school where the teacher shows up half the time, and the classroom’s falling apart.
Compare that to the elite stools in lutyens’ delhi or south bombay, ac classrooms, fancy labs, and teachers who are actually care. Theose kids aren’t just learning math; They’re learning how to network, how to communicate effectively, how to crack IIT or iim.
For the Poor, even getting getting to college is a battle, Coaching Classes Cost a Fortune, and Who’s Got Time to Study When You’re Helping Your Parents Sell Vegetables at the Mandi?
Our main priya tried so hard to get her son into a good engineering college, but they could holdn’t afford the fees, even with a loan. Meanwhile, the rich kids glide into private universities or fly off to the us, their futures practically guaranteed.
It’s not just about hard work, it’s about what you’re born into.
Connections matter more than you think
You Ever Notice How the Big Jobs, Theose Cushy Corporate Gigs or Startup Funding, Seem to go to go to people who “know someone”?
In India, it’s all about jugaad and jaan-pehchaan. If your dad’s a businessman or your Uncle’s a Politician, Doors Open for You. Internships, recommendations, seed money for a new venture, it’s all there. I saw this firsthand when a college buddy of mine got a job at a top firm trust his dad golfed with the CEO. No Kidding.
But for someone like my old schoolmate ravi, whose parents run a tiny kirana store in our hometown? He’s Never even met someone who works in an office, let alone someone who could hook him up. The poor duan’t has that social circle, it’s just them, their family, and maybe a less neighbors, all hustling the same way. No vip pass, no shortcuts.
Living costs hit harder when you’re poor
Life’s expensive, yaar, especially if you’re starting from zero.
Rent in cites like bangalore or pune is insane, 25,000 Rupees for a 1 Babhk in a Decent Area. If you’re earning 35,000 a month, what’s left after that? Add in transport, food, and maybe a doctor’s visit if you’re unlucky, and you’re broke.
I’ve seen a less of my maids, skip meals just to pay her son’s school fees. One emergency, like her Her Husband Falling Sick, Wipes Out Everything She’s Saved.
The rich, thought? They’ve Got Properties they boght years ago That are now worth brors. They’re not sweating Rent; They’re collecting it. Inflation Might Pinch Them a Little, but it’s the poor who feel the real burns when the cost of Dal-Roti Jumps from Rs.20 to Rs.30 a plate.
It’s like the system’s designed to keep you running in place if you’re starting low.
Then there is also a mindset trap
Okay, this one’s tricky, and I don’t want to sound like I’m Blaming Anyone.
But growing up poor does something to youI’ve head my contractors say, “Bas, din bhar ka kharcha nikal jaye, enough hai.” It’s that survival mode, focus on today, because Tomorrow’s too far to plan for.
When Every Rupee’s spoken for, you’re not thinking about stock, mutual funds or a side gig. You’re just praying the landlord does not hike the Rent.
The rich, thought? They’ve got the luxury of dreaming big. They can take a loan to start a business because they’ve got collectorate, or mummy-papa to bail them out it flops.
I met this guy at a wedding once, some nri type, who casually mentioned he “Lost a Crore” on a Failed Startup but was “Trying Again.” A Crore? Vinod would Fant If He even Saw That MUCH MONEY, Let Alone Losing It.
That confidence, that safety net, it’s a rich-phase thing.
The Government’s Role – Help or Hype?
We’ve all heard the promples, Garibi Hatao, Free Rations, Housing Schemes.
And sure, some of it helps, like the 5 kilos of rice people gets through pds. But does it really pull people out of Poverty? Not when wages are stuck and jobs are scarce.
Meanwhile, the tax breakes and subsidies often go to big corporates or the well-connected. Ever wonder why a billionaire gets a loan written off while a farmer’s stick begging for a waver?
Look at GST, Small Traders Like a Value Stockist, Got Hammered, While The Big Players Adjusted Just Fine. The system’s tilted, and we can do noting about it.
It’s not about handouts; It’s about giving the poor a real shot, better schools, fair wages, affordable healthcare. Until then, it’s the same old story. No about of pds can take people get out of Poverty.
It’s a cycle, not a straight line
I’ll say, all this stuff feeds into ito itself.
If one is poor, he/she can’t afford good education. No education, no good job. No job, no savings. No Savings, No Way Out.
Meanwhile, the rich kid gets the best of everything, lands a cushy gig, and builds a fortune. It’s not allways about laziness, someimes it’s just about where you start.
I think about a family who I know very close. Their Grandparents were farmers, barely literate. The Father of the Family Clawed His Way to a Clerk’s Job. His child is a doctor and is doing okay now, but it took generations, and a lot of luck, to move the needle.
For every story like this, there are a building others still witing for that break.
Conclusion
I don’t have all the answers, its true, but I know this Much, it’s not just about “Working Harder.”
We need schools that provide quality education for everyone, not just the elite. We need jobs that pay enough to live, not just survive. And maybe, just maybe, a system that does not let the rich write all the rules.
It’s a Tall Order, but if we don’t talk about it, Nothing changes.
What do you think about it? Ever Seen This Play Out in Your Own Life? Write your personal in the comment section below.
Have a happy investment.
Suggeded reading,
(Tagstotranslate) Fair Wages (T) Quality Education (T) Social Equity