The fact some resources are more abundant than others and more or less equally distributed has a very important influence on whose interests get served. Albert Hirschman observed some resources grow as they are used while others diminish with use. We live in a world of competition and collaboration with others. Some of our interests are shared, some are different, and some are in conflict. Resources are limited and access to them extremely unequal.
Conflicts of interest are sometimes obvious.
Sometimes conflicts are not so obvious. Allocating the funds for better public schools may require raising the taxes of those paying to send their children to private schools. Keeping kids off drugs may threaten the interests of dealers who thrive on getting them onto drugs. Recruiting kids for nonviolent conflict resolution may threaten gangs who are recruiting them for something else. Common interests are not always obvious either.