The notion that the West was founded on revolutions in science, industry and politics is a self-congratulatory myth. Instead, genocide, slavery and colonialism are the foundation stones, and we are still living under this system today: America is now at the helm, perpetuating global inequality through business, government, and institutions like the UN, the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO. The West is rich because the Rest is poor. Kehinde Andrews is Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University.