Meritocratic Ideology

A Meritocratic Ideology is a social ideology in which persons are judged by their person ability and person achievement.

• Context:
  • It can range from being a Pure Meritocratic Ideology to being a ___ Meritractic Ideology (that includes equity and fairness).
  • ...
  • It can promote Equality of Opportunity, where individuals have equal access to resources and success is determined by personal merit.
  • It can prioritize Competency-Based Assessment over background, social class, or family connections.
  • It can exist in a society that values Merit-Based Advancement in sectors like education, business, and politics.
  • It can emphasize the importance of Talent Cultivation and Merit Evaluation systems, such as standardized testing or competitive examinations.
  • It can face criticism regarding its potential to reinforce existing inequalities if the playing field is not truly level.
  • It can be influenced by societal structures such as Education Systems and Economic Opportunity.
  • It can foster competitive environments in organizations, institutions, or governments that prioritize performance.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • a National Meritocracy, such as:
    • Singapore's emphasis on merit-based civil service promotions, where individuals advance based on test scores and performance evaluations.
    • China's imperial examination system, which historically promoted government officials based on competitive exams.
    • United States' use of merit-based college admissions, where students are selected based on academic and extracurricular achievements.
  • an Organizational Meritocracy, such as:
    • Google's hiring practices, which focus on talent and skills over formal educational background.
    • General Electric’s practice of ranking employees annually and promoting the top performers through a system known as the "vitality curve."
    • McKinsey & Company's consultant promotion structure, where employees advance based on performance, client impact, and leadership abilities.
  • a Familial Meritocracy, such as:
    • Families that emphasize children’s academic success by offering rewards for high grades and accomplishments.
    • Parents encouraging siblings to compete based on individual skills, offering privileges or resources based on each child's achievements.
    • A family-owned business where leadership roles are given to members who demonstrate the best business acumen, rather than by seniority or family rank.
  • ...
• Counter-Exmaple(s):
  • Aristocratic X, where social status is inherited.
  • Caste System X, where social position is fixed by birth.
• See: Meritocratic Society, Individual, Political Philosophy, Power (Social and Political), Progressivism.

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References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy Retrieved:2024-9-5.
  • Meritocracy (merit, from Latin , and -cracy, from Ancient Greek 'strength, power') is the notion of a political system in which economic goods or political power are vested in individual people based on ability and talent, rather than wealth, social class, or race. Advancement in such a system is based on performance, as measured through examination or demonstrated achievement. Although the concept of meritocracy has existed for centuries, the first known use of the term was by sociologist Alan Fox in the journal Socialist Commentary in 1956. It was then popularized by sociologist Michael Dunlop Young, who used the term in his dystopian political and satirical book The Rise of the Meritocracy in 1958. While the word was coined and popularized as a pejorative, its usage has meliorated. Today the term is often utilised to refer to social systems in which personal advancement and success primarily reflect an individual's capabilities and merits, frequently seen as equality of opportunity.

2017

• (Wikipedia, 2017) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy Retrieved:2017-10-21.
  • Meritocracy (merit, from Latin mereō, and -cracy, from Ancient Greek κράτος "strength, power") is a political philosophy stating that power should be vested in individuals almost exclusively based on ability and talent. Advancement in such a system is based on performance measured through examination and/or demonstrated achievement in the field where it is implemented.

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