Paper: https://www.econometricsociety.org/publications/econometrica...
This seems on the same spectrum with research showing the biggest predictor of success in children is social connections with the more affluent: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/friendships-rich-people-...
I generally buy this, and think the class or networkworking view is a much more productive one to combat inequality, vs. tribal identity distinctions.
At some level of course, we are a social species and those who acquire better connections will always outperform, often for reasons we want to endorse (e.g. they will create better connections among ideas).
But networks can also serve as self-perpetuating systems that impede their intended function. e.g. base nepotism, or Science advancing "one death at a time." There's a lot of opportunity to reduce these effects.