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One point to keep in mind
However, we must be careful not to reduce everything to this single framework, however appealing it may be. Many economists and sociologists point out that while social capital undeniably facilitates access to opportunities, it does not explain everything: perseverance, genuine competence, the ability to seize an opportunity when it arises, and even a measure of pure chance continue to play a real role. Upward trajectories without a pre-existing network do indeed exist, even if they remain statistically in the minority and are often longer and more demanding.
Flashmag! Issue 177 October 2026
Other researchers also point out that social mobility, though imperfect and slowed in recent decades in several Western countries, remains a reality, and that an excessive focus on the most visible dynasties can obscure more subtle progress elsewhere in society— in public higher education, in certain still-young technology sectors, and in civic movements that create new networks parallel to those of the traditional elite.
Perhaps the most honest conclusion, then, is not that merit counts for nothing, but that it never counts on its own. And that acknowledging this truth— far from being an admission of defeat— might well be the first step toward a society that finally stops confusing luck with talent.
Hubert Marlin Elingui Jr. Journaliste
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