61 posts in 37 hours, and many of them bitter about how unfair it is to not be a member of the lucky sperm club, and how this is somehow tied into accidents of birth, etc. This almost sounds like the basis of the next Dan Brown conspiracy book-- Angles and Crofters, maybe? Or would it be The Karl Marx Code?

It has been my observation that people with talent, who apply themselves, inevitably do well. Those who sit on the sidelines of life and piss and moan about how unfair things are usually accomplish little, regardless of their self-styled "social status" or third level (and often second rate) academic attainments .

Let me use the example of Malcolm, an 18th century crofter on Arran who had two sons, Daniel and Alexander. In the 1830s Malcolm's sons left Arran, went to Edinburgh and set up as book sellers. There Malcolm's sons worked hard, expanded their business and, moving to England, founded a publishing company in 1845. Daniel had a son, Maurice, who followed in his father's footsteps in the family business. Maurice had a son, also named Maurice, who, in turn, also became chairman of the family publishing business. But only after he had spent a lifetime in public service, eventually becoming the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Now if the great-grandson of an 18th century crofter from Arran could become Prime Minister there is obviously a lot more emphasis placed on meritocracy in the United kingdom than some are willing to admit.

So, it seems to me that if one isn't the Prime Minister, or isn't rich, or isn't... whatever, it's not the fault of the hereditary landed classes. It's probably one's own fault for not having made the best of every opportunity that came their way.