Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-65.29.225.205-20130427160705/@comment-8881468-20130506160623

Face it, the Imperium and none of it's parts are pure meritocracies. (you have one planet where it is basiccally frowned upon and those that get promoted for their actions are actually very likely to be killed by their own subordinates)

Should we go into detail on the average % of people rising up as "new money"?

Money might break into ruling classes, yet how often does that happen, and that money is also gained by taking advantage of others in many ways. We could also go into the details of the ruling classes doing everyhting they can to prevent the rise of others.

by the way, ultimate example for Ultramar: Roboute Gulliman, or whatever you call him, was found by noblemen, raised by one of the 2 rulers of the planet, not really a personal feat to be that priviliged. that bloke was upper class from the get go. Same with Leman Russ, Rogal Dorn,Magnus, Lion El'JOhnson,Perturabo,Mortarion,Jaghatai and Corvus Corax. All of them raised by rulers to be rulers...The Primarchs who actually fought without having a better social standing where Fulgrim, Ferrus Manus,Vulkan, Snaguinus,the Night Haunter, Lorgar and Angron  Horus and Alpharius offer little information.. yet quite amusing that more Chaos Primarchs actually rose thanks to their own actions and wits.

Sidenote: by the way, if you take enculturation and socialisation into account, it is more normal for the son of an aristocrat than for that of a farmer, to get into the higher echelons of any organisation simply because of the way that they are raised.