The Meritocratic Ideal: An Unfinished Promise
Meritocracy is one of the foundational narratives of modern liberal societies—an appealing ideal: in a world freed from hereditary privilege and caste systems, everyone could rise according to their merit, talents, efforts, and perseverance. This ideal resonates deeply with the promises of the Enlightenment, individual emancipation, and democracy. The idea of individual merit, deeply rooted in the Western democratic imagination, rests on a dual promise: equality of opportunity and recognition of individual achievement. It aims to be both fair and efficient, rewarding the most capable while stimulating innovation and productivity. But has this promise been fulfilled? And more importantly, is it just? In light of recent work by thinkers such as Michael Sandel, Daniel Markovits, Kathryn Paige Harden, and contemporary sociological and economic analyses, it becomes clear that meritocracy, far from being a neutral ideal, has become an ideology that justifies growing inequalities—a new form o...