United States: Understanding its roots in a modern age
By Abraham Ariyo
Beneath the widely celebrated American slogan, “Only in America,” lies a reality unknown to the majority. The Founding Fathers envisioned this nation as a domain exclusively for White men of wealth and power. Had their original framework remained intact, individuals such as Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, the embattled Kash Patel, and others would have been returned to India. Similarly, Huyen Cheung, Trump’s campaign spokesperson, and others of Asian descent would have been returned to their ancestral homelands. Hispanics would have been forcibly transported to Mexico, and Black figures like Dr. Ben Carson, the conservative neurosurgeon, would have been exiled to Liberia.
From its inception, the United States was structured to be governed by affluent White men. The first elected legislative assembly in 1619 was exclusively composed of White male landowners known as the Burgesses. During that historic gathering, they crafted the early instruments of government, outlawed drunkenness, mandated the observance of the Sabbath, and, most significantly, sanctioned slavery. The Founding Fathers, driven by economic interests, sought to capitalize on the most lucrative trade of the era—human bondage. Their efficiency was unparalleled, as demonstrated in the summer of 1619 when the first enslaved Africans arrived in America aboard the “White Lion,” a private American vessel. Having intercepted a Portuguese slaver bound from Angola, this ship redirected its human cargo to the American shores, thus inaugurating the system of free labor that would fuel the nation’s prosperity for centuries.
Even amid extraordinary wealth and abundant prosperity, there was still extreme poverty in the land, like an unquenchable thirst. The level of opulence and abundance for the very wealthy was unimaginable, yet the level of abject poverty in the land was like hell. Enslaved individuals toiled without compensation, while poor Whites labored under conditions of subsistence wages, devoid of benefits, insurance, or retirement security. The gap between the affluent and the impoverished widened to unprecedented levels.
The Burgesses monopolized every facet of economic life, carving out power domains for themselves. John D. Rockefeller dominated oil, Cornelius Vanderbilt controlled shipping and railroads, and industrial titans such as Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, and Charles Schwab dictated the steel industry. Essential services—including banks, schools, hospitals, and fire brigades—were privatized, serving only those who could afford them. The social order was brutal: if one lacked financial means, they were denied access to education, medical care, and even emergency response. A fire brigade once arrived at a burning house to find the owner had not paid. The brigade parked before the house and watched it burn to ashes. These are not tales; these are things that have happened on this soil. This grim past serves as a harbinger of an impending reality. We are heading in that direction again.
Although significant strides have been made toward inclusivity and social justice, education has been a key driver of progress. Yet, as I write, Mr. Trump is poised to issue an executive order dismantling the Department of Education, a move that threatens to erode hard-won advancements in access to knowledge and upward mobility.
An economic siege is looming. History reminds us that in early America, only White male landowners could vote or hold office, wielding unchecked control over resources while leaving the working class in perpetual struggle. Today, the distribution of wealth reflects a similar paradigm: the top 1% of Americans control 30.8% of the nation’s wealth, while the next 9% holds 37%. Together, the top 10% possesses a staggering 67% of the country’s wealth. The top 50% controls 98% of wealth, leaving the bottom 50%—a demographic composed largely of Black, Brown, and poor White Americans—scrambling for a meager 2.5% share. Stock ownership is similarly skewed, with the wealthiest 1% holding 50% of all stocks while the bottom half of the population owns a mere 0.5%. These disparities are not incidental but result from deliberate policy decisions and by design.
Trump’s tax agenda further exacerbates this inequality. His proposed tax plan seeks to dismantle agencies such as USAID, eliminate the Department of Education, and terminate healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid. These cuts are designed to redirect public funds into the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. Should these policies come to fruition, the wealthiest 10% will consolidate their grip on an estimated 85% of the nation’s wealth, leaving the remaining 90% of Americans to compete for a dwindling 15%. The bottom 50%—a staggering 166 million people—will be left with less than 0.5% of the nation’s financial resources, creating a class of “desperate workers” serving the economic elite. Meanwhile, upon arrival, a new class of “Gold Card Citizens”—individuals who purchase citizenship for $5 million—will exploit this desperate labor force for their industries and enterprises.
The consequences extend beyond economics. With overwhelming financial dominance, the wealthiest elite will dictate the political landscape and buy elections. Already, Trump has dismantled the Independent Election Commission, consolidating electoral oversight under his direct control. This erosion of democratic safeguards threatens to entrench oligarchic rule, turning elections into transactions. The impending financial crisis will disproportionately impact Black, Brown, and impoverished White communities, plunging them into unprecedented hardship. Unlike past economic downturns—such as the 2008 recession or the COVID-19 pandemic—when public support mechanisms provided a safety net, even those lifelines will be severed this time. The elimination of public news outlets, including PBS, will further silence marginalized voices, stripping away avenues for awareness, advocacy, and hope.
America is under siege from within. The robbery is happening; the nation is plundered in darkness, with security dismantled and the lights deliberately extinguished. The media, once a pillar of truth and accountability, has been silenced. The United States is regressing to its plantation roots, where the ruling elite controls wealth, labor, and governance while the masses toil in servitude.
May God be with you. May God save America.
Abraham Ariyo is a U.S.-based cardiologist and International Bestselling author of The Heart Chronicles.
