The situation is far from always being determined by an individual’s desire or intentions. What you're describing is fair and applicable in countries with developed economic systems, real opportunities for social mobility, and functioning legal frameworks.

In countries where all of this is lacking, people become wealthy by entirely different means. In such cases, desire and even determined effort are not enough — because at any moment, those with more power can bring you down, and the law won't protect you.

So, while I also believe that a great deal is in a person’s own hands, it’s absolutely essential to take into account the conditions they live in. What is accessible to some may be completely unattainable for others.