POLITICS: THE DIALECTICAL BASE OF POVERTY AND PROSPERITY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Politics impact on societal institutions and form the fulcrum of poverty and prosperity in the world. It fosters the fortunes of the elites and their cronies that control it, but greatly frustrate the prosperity of the masses; creating a conspicuous gap between the greater poor and the few rich in Nigeria. The spate of elite controlled politics in Nigeria results to massive corruption, socio-economic monopoly and ineffectiveness of vital institutions that affect the existence of the greater population. This paper therefore investigates the dialectics of politics with other human institutions in Nigeria. The study analytically exposes the broad causal patterns of present Nigerian socio-economic inequality evident in the poverty of the larger population of the citizenry and the prosperity of the few. The paper again determines the philosophical base of the connection between politics, poverty and prosperity, and proffers axiological panacea to dire Nigerian political practices. The research however finds that politics everywhere shapes socio-economic systems as well as the life of the people within the state. This is evident from the exercise of power; decision making and policy implementation which check and control the socio-economic and general existence of the citizenry. The paper thus concludes that people oriented and just politics maximize socio-economic opportunities, quality education, sound security, and paves the general prosperity of the greater population of the citizenry. Keywords: Politics, Institutions, Dialectics, Poverty, Prosperity.