There is an idealistic fiction of "meritocracy" that doesn't really exist anywhere to varying degrees. Racism, sexism, poverty, sectarian, citizenship discrimination, lack of influential friends and family, and more biases exist and are very unlikely to ever disappear completely.
The pejorative invention of "meritocracy" is such an own goal. The answer to overcoming these adversities is to stop moaning about it and demonstrate your own merits.
