UNDERSTANDING BLACK TAX
In every African household, an unspoken rule is practiced. Deeply rooted and only recently given a title; black tax is here to stay.
As a result of slow growth in a post-colonialism Africa, African countries today significantly financially disadvantaged than the rest of the developing world. A majority of African countries lost sovereignty and control of their natural resources, therefore, crippling the economic conditions that continue to characterize their human capital. Lagging behind in literacy levels, generational dependency is predominant as previous generations composed of a population of unskilled labor. Technological advancements in the marketplace post-civilization emphasize a skilled workforce with college degrees who are knowledgeable in the industry they work in. The shift in demand of the job markets has left an imbalance in the economic freedom of an entire generation that consists of black professionals between the ages 19–60, commonly referred to as the sandwich generation.
The institute of policy studies reports that 37% of black families have zero or negative wealth, this is owed to generational dependence that makes it hard for Africans generally and blacks in building generational wealth. An unwritten rule common in African households is the professional in privilege is obligated to assist those in the family who aren’t. According to South African comedian and host of the Daily Show Trevor Noah, black tax really drags millennials in building generational wealth.
He opines,
“ The first generation of success for many black people means that you have to go back and work on correcting everything”
“I have to get my brothers through school, I have to get my family through school, cousins through school…because you are the 1st in the entire family to experience that success.”
In one of Africa’s countries; Kenya, a long-standing tradition that is also incorporated in their symbol for national unity explains the cultural expectations of communities and families in Africa. ‘Harambee’ a Swahili word that means ‘pull together’ expounds a long-standing Kenyan tradition that represents an unwritten law of generosity, that regardless of class, ethnic group, gender or religious background members of the community will lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Ingrained in the moral compass of the country’s social fabric, it requires individuals to come together and provide financial or emotional support for people in need. Often, the success of black professionals can be attributed to a community’s efforts in paying their school fees through harambees. If they (the professionals) succeed in their fields of expertise they would be obligated to support other people as they had been supported.
Black tax is classified as a tax though there is no legal obligation or indictment in disbursing it, rather, a cultural one. This is why failure to meet black tax is often earns one the reputation of being ungrateful or even ‘selfish’. It is seen by previous generations as betrayal of the spirit of Harambee and Ubuntu that dictates the social-cultural norms of the African people.
