The illusion of meritocracy
By: Zhang, Tong
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Material type: 
BookPublisher: Social Science Information Description: 63(1), Mar, 2024: p.114-128.Subject(s): Meritocracy, Social efficiency, Justice, Progressive humanism, Individual achievement, Social contribution, Self-defeating illusion, Conspicuous merit, Genuine contributions, Theodicy, Catholicism, Institutional consequence, Political movements, Necessary illusion, Institutional reforms
In:
Social Science InformationSummary: Meritocracy claims to reward the meritorious with more resources, thereby achieving social efficiency and justice in a level playground. This article argues that the rise of meritocracy in a society is the institutional consequence of adopting progressive humanism, an ideal-type worldview that advocates the harmonious co-realization of individual achievement and social contribution. However, meritocracy is a self-defeating illusion because, even in a level playground, it only rewards conspicuous and wasteful display of ‘merit’ rather than genuine contributions to society. Similar to the promise of an afterlife to Catholicism, the illusion of meritocracy constitutes an indispensable theodicy to progressive humanism. For societies holding such worldviews, meritocracy is a necessary illusion that cannot be dispelled by institutional reforms or political movements.- Reproduced
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/05390184241230406
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Articles
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Indian Institute of Public Administration | 63(1), Mar, 2024: p.114-128 | Available | AR132173 |
Meritocracy claims to reward the meritorious with more resources, thereby achieving social efficiency and justice in a level playground. This article argues that the rise of meritocracy in a society is the institutional consequence of adopting progressive humanism, an ideal-type worldview that advocates the harmonious co-realization of individual achievement and social contribution. However, meritocracy is a self-defeating illusion because, even in a level playground, it only rewards conspicuous and wasteful display of ‘merit’ rather than genuine contributions to society. Similar to the promise of an afterlife to Catholicism, the illusion of meritocracy constitutes an indispensable theodicy to progressive humanism. For societies holding such worldviews, meritocracy is a necessary illusion that cannot be dispelled by institutional reforms or political movements.- Reproduced
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/05390184241230406
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