All the political angst and moral melodrama about getting 'the

Hear the words of Thomas Sowell, economist, philosopher, and unflinching critic of illusions, who declared: “All the political angst and moral melodrama about getting ‘the rich’ to pay ‘their fair share’ is part of a big charade. This is not about economics, it is about politics.” These words pierce through the veil of rhetoric, stripping away the noble-sounding appeals of leaders and revealing the raw struggle for power beneath. For Sowell reminds us that in the arena of governance, not every cry for justice is pure, not every banner of morality is sincere. Many times, what appears as economics is in truth politics in disguise.

The origin of this statement rests in Sowell’s lifelong study of wealth, policy, and society. He saw how debates about taxation, redistribution, and fairness were often cloaked in the language of morality, yet beneath the surface they served to rally factions, secure votes, and maintain influence. To demand that “the rich pay their fair share” may sound like a righteous cry for balance, but Sowell warned that such rhetoric frequently stirs resentment rather than solves problems. It is less about numbers in ledgers, more about emotions in crowds. The charade he names is the use of economic language as a weapon in the eternal contest of political power.

Consider the story of the French Revolution. The call to make the aristocracy pay, to humble the wealthy and exalt the common man, was framed as economic justice. Yet soon it became a political weapon, used by factions not only to level wealth but to consolidate control. Heads rolled, fortunes vanished, and while cries of “fairness” filled the air, the true struggle was for dominance. The poor did not find lasting relief, but new rulers found new thrones. This is what Sowell warns of: when the debate shifts from true economics to political melodrama, the people may be moved by anger, but the results seldom bring lasting prosperity.

Even in more recent times, we see the truth of his words. In many nations, debates over taxation of the wealthy dominate elections. Leaders thunder against the rich, painting themselves as champions of the people. Yet after the votes are won, little changes. The wealthy remain secure, loopholes remain open, and the burdens of mismanagement fall not on the elites but on the working masses. Thus the angst was not about solving economic imbalance—it was about stirring political loyalty. The cry of “fair share” became not a tool of justice, but a banner of strategy.

Sowell’s teaching is not that justice is unworthy, nor that inequality is to be ignored. Rather, it is that citizens must see beyond the masks of politics. Economics is the study of consequences; politics is the game of appearances. When leaders stir outrage without offering clear, practical solutions, they are not addressing economics but manipulating emotions. To confuse the two is to become a pawn in a game one does not understand.

O seeker, the lesson is this: learn to discern when a debate is about real numbers, real policies, and real outcomes, and when it is about appearances, rivalries, and power. Do not be carried away by moral melodrama alone. Ask the harder questions: Will this policy truly change the burdens of the people? Or is it meant only to inflame, to divide, and to secure votes? A wise citizen is not swayed by the heat of rhetoric but guided by the light of reason.

And what actions must you take? Study the issues yourself. Seek the truth beneath the speeches. Hold leaders accountable not for their words, but for the results of their policies. Refuse to be moved only by resentment; instead, demand clarity, demand honesty, demand results. In your own community, choose solutions over slogans, and wisdom over melodrama. For if the people themselves are vigilant, then the charade loses its power, and politics can no longer hide behind the mask of false economics.

Thus remember Sowell’s words: “This is not about economics, it is about politics.” Do not mistake the noise of power for the voice of truth. Look deeper, see clearly, and act wisely. For only then will justice and prosperity walk hand in hand, and the people be free from the manipulations of those who seek to rule by stirring the passions of the crowd.