Seems the classical political/economic/philosophical divide of meritocracy versus providing based on people's needs. Let's say we don't reward people for worki

Seems the classical political/economic/philosophical divide of meritocracy versus providing based on people's needs. Let's say we don't reward people for working longer hours and aggressively seeking better opportunities, what is their motivation for trying harder? Should we say "you're not allowed to work longer hours because many people out there can't compete with it"? Is it just for women to earn less over their lifetimes due to their biological drive towards motherhood and the downtime that entails? Is it just for men to be rewarded for their biological drive to compete and provide a better life for their loved ones?