By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
There’s a short but unnerving verse buried in the Gospel of Matthew:
“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and they will have abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what they have will be taken away.” — Matthew 25:29
Most people read this in church as a spiritual lesson about faithfulness.
Economists read it as a ruthless footnote about capital flows.
Satirists read it as the world’s oldest “rich-get-richer” meme.
In plain English: the universe has a suspicious habit of rewarding people who already have momentum — and punishing those who don’t.
It’s as if life is run by an invisible venture capitalist who says:
“Oh, you have something going on? Here’s more.
Oh, you’re struggling? Sorry, budget cuts. We’re reallocating your scraps to the other guy.”
From Ancient Parable to Universal Rule
The Matthew Principle originates in the Parable of the Talents.
A wealthy master, about to travel, entrusts his fortune to three servants:
- To the first, he gives five bags of gold.
- To the second, two bags.
- To the third, just one.
The first two go out, invest, and double what they were given.
The third — fearful, cautious, risk-averse — buries his bag in the ground.
When the master returns, he rewards the first two: “Good job. Here’s more.”
To the third, he says essentially:
“You did nothing with what I gave you. Hand it over. I’ll give it to the guy who’s proven he can multiply it.”
That’s the brutal punchline.
Even the little the cautious servant had was taken away.
Two Thousand Years Later: Same Law, Shinier Branding
Fast-forward to modern capitalism. We’ve rebranded the lesson:
- Wall Street calls it “capital allocation efficiency.”
- Tech founders call it “traction.”
- Economists call it the “law of cumulative advantage.”
- Social media calls it “going viral.”
All of them mean the same thing:
Resources flow toward whoever demonstrates they can make more out of them.
Jesus said it without a spreadsheet.
The 21st century says it with PowerPoint decks and ROI charts.
The Matthew Effect at Work Everywhere
Robert K. Merton, a sociologist, coined the phrase “Matthew Effect” in 1968 while observing that famous scientists kept getting credit — sometimes even for discoveries their junior colleagues made.
Turns out, it’s not just a science thing. It’s a universal pattern:
🏫 Education
- A child who learns to read early gets better at reading.
- The more they read, the more knowledge and vocabulary they acquire.
- The kid who starts behind often stays behind because they can’t catch up fast enough.
💰 Wealth
- The wealthy invest, compound, and grow richer.
- The poor face late fees, payday loans, and high-interest debt — making them poorer.
📈 Business
- The market leader gets more customers because they are the market leader.
- Newcomers face an uphill climb even if their product is better.
🌎 Reputation
- If a Nobel laureate and an unknown grad student publish the same idea, guess who gets invited to conferences.
📱 Social Media
- The influencer with a million followers gets paid to advertise products for free.
- The rest of us still pay full price and get 12 likes on our “brilliant” post.
Fun Facts and Sharper Satire
The Matthew Principle is basically compound interest for everything — money, status, skills, opportunities, even luck.
- It’s the original pay-to-win game. The starter pack is whatever you’re born with — and some people spawn into life with a family trust fund.
- It’s why “the first 10,000 followers are the hardest.” After that, people assume you’re worth following just because others did.
- Banks lend to you when you don’t need the loan — and suddenly question your creditworthiness the moment you desperately do.
- Billionaires borrow at 2% interest; broke people borrow at 400% from payday lenders. The Matthew Principle apparently works with APR as well.
- In the dating market, it’s why “popular people” get even more popular — they come pre-approved by social proof.
The principle is so pervasive it’s almost comical.
The rich get investment offers; the poor get motivational speeches.
The Not-So-Fair Reality
The Matthew Principle isn’t about fairness. It’s about momentum.
The universe doesn’t sit around weighing deserts and equity.
It acts more like gravity: the bigger the mass, the more it pulls in.
In simpler words:
- Momentum attracts more momentum.
- Inaction invites erosion.
Human Nature and the Bias Toward Winners
We humans are complicit in this.
We assume if someone is successful, they must be competent.
We assume if someone is struggling, they must be flawed.
Hence:
- Employers prefer to hire those who already have a job.
- Investors prefer to back companies that already raised money.
- Audiences cheer for the celebrity they already know rather than the unknown talent.
It’s a collective self-fulfilling prophecy.
The Paradox of the Safety Net
Modern governments often step in to counteract the Matthew Principle — with scholarships, healthcare, microloans, subsidies.
And yet even those safety nets often get hijacked by insiders who already know how to navigate the system.
Cue the cynic’s rule:
“Programs designed to help the disadvantaged often end up being a new advantage for the already advantaged.”
Practical Survival Notes
1. Plant the Seed You’ve Got.
Don’t wait to inherit a forest. Start with the one seed in your pocket.
2. Act Fast on Small Wins.
The sooner you build momentum, the sooner the universe starts treating you like a “safe bet.”
3. Leverage Your Advantage.
Your skill, network, or capital is your ticket out of the slow lane.
4. Compete on the Edges.
If the center is captured by giants, look for niches where you can still build compounding advantages.
5. Be System-Aware.
The Matthew Principle isn’t an excuse for fatalism. It’s a prompt to design policies and strategies that give late starters a fair shot.
The Satirical Closing Truth
The Matthew Principle is life’s most relentless performance review:
- Use what you have and you’ll probably get more.
- Bury what you have and you’ll probably lose even that.
The parable’s final twist is as relevant in an era of hedge funds and hashtags as it was in the age of Roman coins.
Or as today’s algorithms might put it:
Engage or get buried.
In short:
The world does not reward potential.
It rewards proof of use.
That’s why the rich get richer, the famous get more famous — and the poor often get free seminars about “mindset.”
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.