I disagree. Because actually, two (or three) things CAN be true at the same time.
We ARE a meritocracy - to a degree.
But just because we *can* succeed - even with the accelerators of money and intelligence - doesn't mean we do.

Plenty of examples of people coming from nothing or not much to become very successful - in a variety of ways - and happy, to varying degrees, for a variety of reasons.

There are also plenty of examples of people born with having everything and all the advantages to blowing it and blowing the family up in a generation or two. Does having everything make it easier? So obvious it goes without saying. Cherrypicked examples don't help.

The important point is the freedom to not have "too much" of the money or the freedom confiscated by a government.