Family wealth dictates our life choices. So is the Bank of Mum and Dad now behind so many of society’s growing inequalities?

Summary

The “Bank of Mum and Dad” drives modern inequality, fostering an “inheritocracy” where family wealth shapes opportunities over individual merit. This safety net often undermines social mobility, tying success to inheritance rather than personal effort.

Rising housing costs, wage stagnation, and unequal inheritance have entrenched this dynamic, with parental support shaping life milestones like homeownership, career paths, and education.

While early inheritances advantage some, the burden of social care costs threatens others’ expectations.

This growing reliance on family wealth exacerbates inequality within and across generations, highlighting the need for a broader societal conversation about privilege and fairness.

  • 9488fcea02a9
    4·
    1 month ago

    Calling parents who can afford to help their kids out as the new “aristocrat” class is a bit of a stretch.

    I got a huge help with my down payment from my parents. But they are by no means “landed” wealthy class people. Years later they barely had enough to retire and i’m trying to help them where i can.

    Dont let the 0.1% distract you by shifting blame to other working class people. Yes, people who got big help from their parents, but we’re not old money.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 month ago

      The aristocracy actually extended a lot further down than people realize. And if we’re getting rid of all the supports outside generational wealth then we are instituting an aristocracy system by default. Because at that point anyone without generational wealth will only be able to advance by being chosen by someone with generational wealth.

      I’m not trying to say parents shouldn’t help their kids out. I’m saying we need that to be the cute little thing it used to be, not the main means of pulling oneself into the middle class. The big problem is we keep electing people who seem to think everyone just draws a bit of credit off their stocks when they want to buy something big. They don’t realize how hard it is for the lower class. And the other people we elect get caught talking about shit like making a man with kids have more votes, or the Christian nationalist movement which openly calls for white landed Christians to be the only voters.

      See what I mean? It’s a nice thing in a robust economy with plenty of chances to pull oneself out of the lower classes. It’s much less nice when those other avenues are getting shut down and people are talking about making it the centerpiece of society.