Class and the myth of meritocracy in North America

Based on quantitative research, this Washington Post article speaks to how systemic inequality works to maintain the status quo in terms of class mobility and income. As the title says, "Poor kids who do everything right don’t do better than rich kids who do everything wrong" (18 October 2014)

Advantages and disadvantages, in other words, tend to perpetuate themselves. ... Specifically, rich high school dropouts remain in the top about as much as poor college grads stay stuck in the bottom — 14 versus 16 percent, respectively. Not only that, but these low-income strivers are just as likely to end up in the bottom as these wealthy ne'er-do-wells.