I've always felt we should refer to it as the "futile system" because it makes any effort by ordinary people to do well futile in the face of all the protected graft, tax dodging, rigging markets, faked news, etc. Some simply decide that the only way to get on is to join the circus and also start doing what the wealthy do - or become politicians that are complicit even when they moan about it and say they want to change it.
In some ways the link is obvious. Bung a Tory a million quid plus support in your newspapers => get to the HOL or have your companies get big contracts from the public purse or have new ways to dodge tax given to you... or all of the above.
In the end the top lot own or control everything, and allow hangers on to dip a bit from the trough. The rest is camo as they let some people 'rise' a bit so they can be used as examples to point out when claiming the system lets people get on... as the cut away social provision that enables it - education, health, etc.
