It's not backwards. We can and do label people as powerful before they do things because we know that they can. The POTUS is powerful because he can do things like bomb things (legally and illegally it turns out) and pardon people. Elon is powerful because he can buy companies, media platforms, and politicians. I, as a regular person, have no where near this kind of power or influence. I have at best a diluted power where I can vote, or decide not to buy from certain companies, but that's about it.
A power lifter who puts 400 lbs over his head is not a person we call strong only in retrospect. Itβs not a dice roll that determines whether the slim girl or the muscled man can do that.
Nope, it's nowhere near a race that determines who succeeds. It might have been back in cavemen times.
In modern times, the chances to "do what you want" and make society do what you want, are already very different for different people based on their generational wealth, family connections, ties to powerful men and power structures, etc.
A tiny minority coming from nowhere might be admitted to this exclusive club, and be celebrated as "meritocracy" wins. But actual power goes to people who inherited it from powerful people or to people propped up and favored by powerful people.
