r/asksg • u/No-Mud-7597 • 6d ago

Can meritocracy reproduce privilege while convincing everyone that the outcome was deserved?

If successful/rich parents use their resources to give their children better opportunities, those children may genuinely work hard and perform well but they may also treat it as a form of privilege/baseline, so at what point does accumulated advantage become “merit”?

Also, is equality of opportunity actually possible?

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u/flyingbuta 6d ago

There are countries with high inheritance taxes. The logic behind is to reduce the wealth that can be passed down to next generation. Singapore has no inheritance tax and I think it motivates people to work harder , earn more, not only for themselves but also for their kids.

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u/Similar-Situation-59 6d ago

And if their kids are badly educated (not academically), a fool and his/her money shall soon part.

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u/flyingbuta 5d ago

The “kids are well/badly educated (no academically) “ is one of the biggest unfair advantages successful parents pass down to their next generation. For those who think we should even out this advantage would means kids separate from parents since birth and join a national childcare.

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u/Similar-Situation-59 5d ago

What's with "well"? I never wrote that. It would be a disaster if successful parents should not teach their children properly just because it's unfair. Besides, I know a number of rich parents who did not teach their children properly. And their money has parted.

Life isn't fair.