This situation is incredibly well covered by the book that I just finished called The Aristocracy of Talent - How Meritocracy Made the Modern World By Adrian Wooldridge. It is a riveting read covering the history of how power was passed through (father->son) for a long time, how it changed with meritocracy in last 200 years and how it is currently going back, with a twist. Great review https://www.city-journal.org/review-of-the-aristocracy-of-ta.... A worthy and very relevant read for current troubled times