Wait, only rich working men deserve respect? Don’t the men and woman who struggle to earn a living and give $18 or $36 or even $1 to help support Torah (and by Torah, I don’t necessarily mean just Kollel) deserve respect?
Sof kol sof, people deserve respect for who they are. I try to assume everyone deserves respect unless they show me otherwise. I don’t know why a Yeshiva bachur moves up in ranks. A gadol? Sure.