The Power of Influence: Examining Two Recent Headlines

In recent news, there were two events that highlighted a vast chasm that exists between the everyday individual and those with massive power, influence, and wealth.

Melinda French Gates donated an additional $1 billion to advance women’s rights, and Donald Trump, a candidate running for the US presidency is now a convicted felon awaiting trial.

Regardless of your personal or political views, these events underscore a fundamental reality: individuals with significant wealth can drive causes forward, while those who have accumulated immense power often escape the consequences that would befall others.

Melinda French Gates: Leveraging Wealth for Impact

With women's rights being repealed across the US, Melinda French Gates is using a three-pronged approach to support the health, wellbeing, and power of women and girls everywhere.

• Financial Power: Melinda has pledged an additional $1 billion from her personal wealth. Considering there are only approximately 2,700 billionaires out of 8.1 billion people globally, this donation is significant. It underscores how a small group of individuals with vast resources can substantially drive their agendas, whether we agree with their causes or not.
• Influence: Of the $1 billion donation, $200 million was allocated to 16 organizations fighting to advance women's power and protect their rights. The selection of these organizations by Melinda and her team will impact the lives of women and girls for generations.
• Network: She has allocated $20 million to a diverse group of global leaders within her network to distribute to charitable organizations they deem urgent, impactful, and innovative. Her choices range from politicians to filmmakers, economists to entrepreneurs, and Melinda’s donation will be a catalyst for their impact.

Her strategic approach to philanthropy, working with multiple organizations and empowering leaders globally, accelerates momentum for the cause. Melinda’s commitment to championing women's rights serves as a powerful reminder of how those with extreme wealth can influence systems, laws, and social norms.

Donald Trump: Power and Its Privileges

The candidacy of former President Donald Trump raises a glaring question: how can someone retain such power despite facing legal challenges that would typically topple most individuals? If it were anyone else, would they be afforded the same leniency? Try substituting another individual, particularly someone of a different gender or race, and see if you can still imagine that person being where Donald Trump is now.

It’s worth noting that Donald Trump's continued prominence is an anomaly in the annals of US history.

According to Politico magazine, "In 235 years of U.S. history, no former president or presumptive or actual major party presidential candidate has ever been charged with a crime. Now, Trump has been convicted not just of one but of 34 felonies."

The Power and Wealth Paradigm

Melinda French Gates and Donald Trump couldn't be more different in terms of their intentions or actions.

Yet, both monumental events remind us that the world is driven by power and wealth, allowing the wealthy and powerful to shape our world.

If these two big announcements made you feel small, without resources, or wish that you were able to drive the causes you care about forward, here's the crux of the matter:

• The way we no longer feel powerless is by getting into power.
• The way we get ahead, is by knowing the right people.
• The way we change the world for better, is by more people having power

Representation matters, and to protect ourselves against extreme power dynamics, we need more diverse individuals gaining influence and driving change.

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This article first appeared on the Momentum By Design book website at:

https://www.momentumbydesign.org/articles/the-power-of-influence

References

• French Gates, M. (2024, May 28) After a difficult few years of watching women’s rights rolled back in the U.S. [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7201252109990666240/
• French Gates, M. (2024, May 28) Day in and day out, these organizations are leading extraordinary efforts to protect women’s rights [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7201666942544297984/
• French Gates, M. (2024, May 28) Each one of these leaders has an important perspective on what needs to be done. [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.dhirubhai.net/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7201666035794460673/
• Lichtman, A. (2024, May 31). 21 Experts Predict What the Trump Conviction Will Mean for 2024 and Beyond. Politico Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/05/31/trump-trial-verdict-conviction-consequences-00160933
• LaFranco, R., Chung, G., Peterson-Withorn, C. (2024). World’s Billionaires List. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/