Keeping the #Philippines poor is in keeping with the interests of the country's Elite classes

Policies are all well and good but when it comes down to it there have to be people who want to implement the policies or at least make sure that there is rule of law to allow good policies to take shape.

Sadly we might never get to a stage where these policies can be implemented since the interests of our ruling class run counter to implementing these policies.

Let's start from the basic and fair assumption that the ruling class (including the Aquinos, Roxas, and Binays) want to protect their wealth and their power and let's move down to the problems that have been mentioned.

Would our ruling elite really want a strong modern philippine military? No. Why? Imagine there being more than a handful Trillanes-type mutineers running around and wielding high tech weaponry. Not good for keeping your money or power at all.

Would the ruling elite want to promote policies that eliminate economic inequality without sacrificing entrepreneurs and businesses? No, as to the poorest of the poor they constitute a controllable voting base. As to a would be entrepreneur class…why would they allow more people the opportunity to get wealthy and potentially challenge their economic superiority and down the road political power?

The rebuke of history on these ruling elite must come through action. Either the elite must have a change of heart (highly unlikely, although I do want to direct all to a link… I know it's from Noynoy's father…. but damn the apple fell far from the tree and into another dimension

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/24006/benigno-s-aquino-jr/whats-wrong-with-the-philippines) or action that will force them to change.

As it is the elite in the Philippines have a good thing going because the elite rather luckily or smartly implemented pro-emigration policies. An astounding 10% of the Philippine population works overseas and sends remittances. Now if they were not working overseas this could result in the formation a formidable organized middle class opposition of overeducated unemployed discontents that the elite would have to deal with and could force them to change policies.

In short, while people are still unorganized and relatively happy the current elite will continue to rule and squeeze the country. It is in their interest to keep the majority of the people poor. This means pro-equality and other seemingly common sense policies will never be implemented since they run counter the ruling elite's interest. Fun times.

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http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2014/11/4-things-that-will-happen-when-jejomar-binay-becomes-philippine-president/comment-page-1/#comment-932356