ABSTRACT
Poverty, by way of social stratification, is a unique characteristic of economies operating within the realm of capitalism. Under this system, individual players engage with their surroundings and with others under the guise of meritocracy, which leads to the social creation of the “other,” the “wealthy,” and the “poor.” But how do some achieve the highest status associated with wealth and living the good life? Despite the myth of meritocracy, what will be argued here are that the reasons so few achieve the most while the most end up with the least is nothing less than a concerted effort to perpetuate the stratification that we find ourselves in as a society (Massey, 2007). This effort is reflected in many spheres of daily life and is highly evident in the practice of schooling and the policies which regulate education.
