The Money - Power - Privilege Triangle

Power and privilege are relative concepts, and yet I suppose all of us know the piercing feeling of inequality they bring along. While privilege is often associated with financial wealth, it is also directly linked to social support, education, and many other systemic advantages. Recognizing these layers helps us understand our position within systems of power and can inform how we interact with others.

Our relationship with money is deeply personal yet shaped by collective structures, the workplace being just one example. Money determines security, influence, and power within organizations, where higher salaries or revenues often mean greater decision-making authority. Yet, alternative models, such as collaborative compensation systems, decentralized financial decision-making processes, cooperative funding, or simple transparency around budgets and salaries challenge financial hierarchies and promote shared responsibility. These practices redistribute power and make resources more accessible. Despite interest in such models, resistance persists, and it seems almost impossible to shift existing structures.

For those with financial privilege, stability often comes through safety nets like healthcare, retirement, or intergenerational wealth. Recognizing these advantages prompts reflection: How do we use or deserve them? Are we reinforcing inequalities or working toward a more equitable system? Change requires more than acknowledgement—it demands action and compassion, wherever our feet touch the ground. By questioning salary disparities, fostering learning partnerships, and prioritizing relationships over hierarchy, we can begin reshaping our economic systems toward equity, mutual support, and shared abundance - one organization at a time.

Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash