Discover the true color of opportunity and the persistent barriers shaping family, welfare, and work. This seminal study offers a rigorous life-course analysis, comparing diverse groups to reveal how background factors and systemic disadvantage significantly impact socioeconomic outcomes, rather than merely individual choices or ‘ghetto-specific’ behaviors. It challenges prevailing negative views on poverty, providing a much-needed corrective. Essential for students, researchers, and policymakers seeking to understand social mobility, equality, and the complex pathways to economic opportunity.