If wealth was the inevitable result of hard work and enterprise, every woman in Africa would be a millionaire. The claims that the ultra-rich 1% make for themselves ? that they are possessed of unique intelligence or creativity or drive ? are examples of the self-attribution fallacy. This means crediting yourself with outcomes for which you weren?t responsible. Many of those who are rich today got there because they were able to capture certain jobs. This capture owes less to talent and intelligence than to a combination of the ruthless exploitation of others and accidents of birth, as such jobs are taken disproportionately by people born in certain places and into certain classes.
http://www.monbiot.com/2011/11/07/th...ution-fallacy/