If all it took to succeed was hard work, we would live in one of those grand visions of utopia where everyone lives like a king. Hard workers are everywhere. From The Projects of the northeast to the coal mines of Appalachia to the barrio of southern California. From the suburbs of Paris to the favelas of Brazil to the factories of China. During 50 years of economic growth, hard work has bought the poor nothing. Yet we praise meritocracy as if a god, and blame the poor for being poor.
by John Metta
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/50-years-hard-work-brought-poor-200701131913477.html