The idea of "meritocracy" has served as an
excuse
for making life harsher for most poor people. The fact that a few
— those who are exceptionally hardworking, gifted, and lucky
— win a better life provides an excuse for the elite to claim
that the harsh life for the rest is their own fault.
In most cases, those few are competing for a limited set of slots.
Even if everyone were as hardworking, gifted, and lucky, they couldn't
all get the rewards.
But even the slots were plenty, we can't demand that everyone to be
gifted and lucky. We don't live in Lake Wobegon, where all the
children are above average. We ought to make a decent live available
to everyone, even those who are less capable, or unlucky.