OneTrueSentence – The more things change, and the more I read, the more I realize nothing really changes.
Last week I completed my first ever reading of Gulliver’s Travels; I was supposed to have read this in high school but…….
In Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift creatively captures the tension between the wealthy and the impoverished with the quote, “poor nations are hungry, and rich nations are proud, and pride and hunger will ever be at variance.” This statement, though written in 1726, remains strikingly relevant in the modern world. It reflects the stark divide between the affluent and the impoverished, not only on an individual level but also on a national scale.
The “pride” of wealthy nations can be understood as a sense of superiority or entitlement, rooted in their access to resources, technology, and economic stability. This pride often leads to the belief that their way of life is the ideal to be emulated, further deepening the divide between them and poorer nations. However, this sense of superiority can mask the reality that, for many developing countries, their struggle with poverty is a direct consequence of exploitative historical relationships with richer nations. Colonialism, resource extraction, and unequal trade agreements have left many poorer nations in a cycle of hunger, dependent on wealthier nations for aid while facing many hurdles in their ability to develop their own economies.
On the other side, the “hunger” of poorer nations is not only physical but also symbolic of a longing for equality and justice. It speaks to the yearning for self-sufficiency, dignity, and an escape from the grip of systemic poverty. Hunger becomes both a literal and metaphorical fight for survival in a world where resources are often unevenly distributed. This ongoing struggle, Swift argues, will always put pride and hunger at odds, as the structural inequalities that define global power dynamics create friction between those who have and those who lack.
Ultimately, Swift’s insight points to an enduring truth: pride and hunger cannot coexist peacefully as long as the world is divided by wealth and privilege. Until there is greater equity, these forces will remain at variance, fueling conflict and dissatisfaction across borders. I present this not to follow a path into an “opinionated” solution, but as a entry-point for us to ponder and seek understanding of our problems in a context that spans time.
This is what happens when I read a classic novel