The Myth of Meritocracy

The best jobs in Britain today are overwhelmingly done by the offspring of privileged parents. Meanwhile, it is increasingly difficult for bright but poor children to transcend their circumstances. This state of affairs should not only worry the poor. It hurts the middle classes too, who are increasingly locked out of the top professions by those from wealthy backgrounds. And, in a grossly unequal society, the privileges of the parents unfailingly become the privileges of the children.

James Bloodworth is a columnist for the International Business Times and has written for The Times, The Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, and the Daily Beast.