Comparonomics by Grant J Ryan

Author:Grant J Ryan [Ryan, Grant J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grant J Ryan

Belief in meritocracy

The definition of meritocracy is ‘a social system, society, or organization in which people have power and success because of their abilities, not because of their money or social position or luck.’ If you compare it to an inherited class system, the people at the top know they got there by the chance of being born into the right family. In a meritocracy, they think they are top dog because they deserve it and are better, rather than luckier, than other folk. Even worse is the loss of dignity for those on the bottom rungs of the economy. In the inherited class system, they certainly feel unlucky and that it’s not fair. If you believe in meritocracy, it is more socially brutal. I’m at the bottom because I deserve to be there, not because I’m unlucky but because I’m useless. If you believe in meritocracy, it could make inequality feel even worse. Alain de Botton summarised it nicely in his book Status Anxiety4:

Low status came to seem not merely regrettable, but also deserved … To the injury of poverty, a meritocratic system now added the insult of shame.

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