Yes alcointalk is a back up for bitcointalk because in case that bitcointalk will shutdown we have another option to continue our earnings.
Nope, I disagree from almost what you've said. First of all, Altcoinstalks is not a back up of Bitcointalk and Bitcointalk will not shut down, how can you say so?
Second, Bitcointalk is not a forum to earn money as a priority, it's a forum that discussed all about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and earning money is somehow what we can call a "reward" for people doing good contributions in the forum. That's the reason why most of the members in Bitcointalk are getting banned and not ranking up, it's because your priority in only earning money.
For those people complaining about the Merit System of Bitcointalk, it was implemented because too many members abused the forum. The forum almost give you all your needs as you can earn money from it but still as an exchange, people keep spamming and spamming the forum. In short, it has been abused.
Altcoinstalks's rules somehow are not so strict for now but I'm pretty sure that it will be so strict as well if members here try to abused the forum.