Wooldridge: Meritocracy as a Driver of Social Progress
Meritocracy is the idea that social position depends on talent and hard work, rather than the status of one's birth. Adrian Wooldridge defines it with the famous equation: merit = IQ + effort. In a reconstructive sense, meritocracy was "intellectual dynamite" that demolished the old order based on nepotism and the sale of offices. Although the term is sometimes used ironically today, at its core, it was a revolutionary emancipatory project, shifting the axis of human destiny from genealogy to individual cognitive abilities.
From Plato to the Liberal Revolution: Roots and Legitimacy
The idea of rule by the best has deep historical roots. In *The Republic*, Plato advocated for the selection of "golden souls" regardless of their origin. Imperial China spent two millennia perfecting the civil service examination system, while the medieval Church, through celibacy, became a laboratory for social mobility. The liberal revolution (including Thomas Jefferson) transformed these intuitions into the foundation of the modern state, introducing the principle of "careers open to talents." Meritocracy became a key tool for the legitimation of power: inequalities were deemed just as long as they resulted from impartial procedures rather than the privilege of blood.
La Serrata and the Marriage of Merit and Money
Modern meritocracy is degenerating through the phenomenon of La Serrata—a mechanism of closing the gates to new talent. A "marriage of merit and money" is occurring, where elites use their capital to purchase a procedural advantage for their children. While testing and standardization were meant to be an objective "telescope" for detecting ability, today they often serve as filters measuring cultural capital and class fit. Under conditions of extreme inequality, meritocracy ceases to be a ladder for advancement and becomes a private elevator, where money colonizes the probability of success, entrenching a new form of aristocracy.
The Tyranny of Merit and the Future of the Labor Market
The meritocratic system acts as a relentless taskmaster, generating immense psychological costs. It produces hubris in the winners and humiliation in the losers—what Michael Sandel calls the "tyranny of merit." In response to the degree crisis, businesses are promoting skills-based hiring—recruitment based on actual abilities. However, there is a risk that this is merely a new slogan masking subtler class filters. Future scenarios point toward the automation of selection by algorithms and the fragmentation of career paths, which, without reform, could deepen the erosion of trust in institutions and the very idea of rationality.
Twilight or Rebirth: The Future of Rule by the Capable
Adrian Wooldridge calls for a return to open meritocracy through investment in early education, the elimination of hereditary privileges (e.g., legacy admissions), and the enhancement of the prestige of vocational paths. But can this idea survive in a world where competence becomes hereditary and talent is merely a well-funded advantage? Perhaps it is time to dismantle the illusory bridge of meritocracy instead of adding more gates to it. True justice requires creating a world where everyone has the chance to develop their potential, regardless of their background or the size of their wallet.
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