Life is as simple as you can make it.Having a full time menial job during childhood may hinder one at a later part of his life especially if he wants to go to more intellectual jobs.
Many of the (relatively) rich people that i know are probably out of reach of the influence of their families.In my opinion one of the main advantages such people have is that their environment partly helps them develop intellectual habits and behaviors that could aid them anywhere they go.Some of them are at top jobs in UK are on their way of becoming richer than their families.I will say that its mainly the least able tend to come back and make more standard and extensive use of their families' connections for their success