Those that are intelligent and are able to open their critical faculties are more likely to be successful. I would define “high intelligence”, as there are a lot of people that gesture towards intelligence. There are people that know a lot, but I would be hesitant to call them intelligent.
There are people that have a wealth of information, and there are people that know how to unpack that information and turn it into knowledge.
Success is universally about time, hard labour, and making opportunities available. Intelligence can be what provides (realization/recognition) the agency needed to arrive at those opportunities; for example, craftiness with language can land you an incredible job, and it can get you a hot date. An intelligent man/woman should recognize how powerful a tool language is, and therefore, that person might invest time into building that skill.
The second question is a bit unclear, but it depends on the geography.
Society in the West has changed, and will continue to change. This can be seen through various movements, like feminism and opponents of religion. It might have something to do with our more liberal education and influences.