The notion that this is somehow a "Victorian" thing, though - that the Victorians have some special responsibility in history for inventing this strategy of social dominance - that's an error.
Humans have been doing this for much longer than that.
Perhaps the only significances of the Victorians was the rise of a middle class and "more" upward mobility. Before it had been "act your class/caste", the one you had been born in, but for the Victorians is was the class you wanted your _children_ to be born in.
But for sure, was an interesting comparison, until the vomit forced into the last line.
I’m glad that I wasn’t the only one who found that to be offputting. What a way to ruin an otherwise excellent article.