Information is wealth and power

In the information age, information and knowledge have replaced land, labour and physical capital as the main source of wealth and power. Whoever has the right information at the right time can make better decisions, innovate and control markets and people.

Information is wealth

• Knowledge-based companies are the richest: Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Amazon and Meta earn mainly from software, data, patents and platforms, not from land or heavy factories.
• Intellectual property: patents, copyrights and software can be sold repeatedly at almost no extra cost.
• Data as an asset: customer data is used for targeted advertising and product design; it is often called "the new oil".
• Skilled individuals: a software engineer in Nepal can earn foreign income through outsourcing and freelancing with only a laptop and internet.
• Market information: farmers who know market prices through mobile apps or SMS get better prices.

Information is power

• Decision making: governments and firms with accurate data plan better (e.g. weather forecasts for agriculture and disaster preparedness).
• Political power: control of media and social media shapes public opinion and elections.
• Military and security power: intelligence and cyber capabilities give nations advantage.
• Citizen power: the Right to Information Act, 2064 (Nepal) and social media let citizens question authorities and expose corruption.
• Competitive advantage: companies that ignore new information fail (Kodak with digital photography, Nokia with smartphones).

Consequences

• Countries that invest in education, research and digital infrastructure grow fast; those without access fall behind (digital divide).
• Misuse of information (fake news, data theft) is also a source of harmful power.

Hence, information is truly wealth and power in modern society, and education and ICT are the keys to development for countries like Nepal.