Born broke, stay broke?

Germany likes to portray itself as a meritocracy: If you work hard, you can climb the social ladder. But is that still true? Or have background, inheritance, wealth, and networks long since become stronger determinants of opportunity than talent and hard work?

The panel explores why there is often more heated debate about a universal basic income than about great wealth, why work hardly provides any security for many people anymore, and how classism shapes our view of merit, education, and success. The discussion centers on money, power, recognition, and the question of how much inequality a democracy can withstand.