Yes, but the elites can afford the best education to their children, better food. So the children are smarter and after a couple of generations, the gap is huge

Yes, but the elites can afford the best education to their children, better food. So the children are smarter and after a couple of generations, the gap is huge. That's how meritocracy fails, first the smart and hard-working become wealthy but then they invest in their children more and more.