The African Caste

ABUJA -- Developed and popularized in Hindu South Asia, the caste system of classes has been implemented in various scenarios and uses around the world. One of the most successful such examples is the modern establishment of trade and wealth between the world's economies.

Within this system, the economies of the world are classified into 3 castes: the 'developed' economies (or the First World), the 'developing' economies (alternately, the Second World), and the 'underdeveloped' economies (often referred to as the Third World). As with the traditional religious and social caste system seen in much of the Hindu world today, economies are assigned to one specific caste, which has a specific rank of importance and power in the system. Additionally, it is nearly impossible for members of one caste to leave their caste and join another.

First implemented by imperialist-era Europe to establish viable colonies and trade routes to newly-claimed territories in the Far East, Africa, and the New World, the economic caste system has been a crucial pillar in establishing the worldwide distribution of wealth and power and helping cement trade routes and relations.

Regrettably, there are also those opposed to this set-up of resource transactions--"enemies of free trade" as the World Trade Foundation (WTF) dubs them. Among these non-conformists stands current Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua. Rejecting his nation's African 'underdeveloped' caste, Mr. Yar'Adua recently revoked a South Korean consortium's license to some of its off-shore oil fields. Citing failure on the Koreans' part to follow through on promised payments on the license, the Nigerian government granted the license to an Indian firm instead.

With the backing of the WTF, the South Korean consortium filed a complaint demanding that President Yar'Adua "did not have such power", reportedly referring to his nation's status as a member of the 'African caste'. As a lower caste nation, Nigeria should not have complete sovereignty over all its resources.

The purpose of the economic caste system is to rest power within the developed nations so that they can make the best use of the resources of underdeveloped caste economies, which often lack the necessary tools and technology. After all, how else is wealth created, if not by buying rights to oil fields worth billions of dollars for a promise of a couple hundred million dollars?

Related reading: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8212573.stm