To the unique geopolitical circumstances that British diplomatic genius was able to exploit at this time could be added at least two other critical ingredients.
It is true that this does happen: whether you really are a genius or whether you just happen to be in the right space at the right time you can indeed become plutocratically wealthy through the operations of capitalism.
Companies that deeply understand the problem they need to solve and pour every ounce of genius they have into solving that problem (the scalpels) will clearly outpace those that try to be good at everything (the jack knives).