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Meritocracy (merit, from Latin mereō, and -cracy, from Ancient Greek κράτος kratos '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 or social class.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3][4][5] 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,[6] frequently seen as equality of opportunity.[7]
- ^ "meritocracy". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ Littler, Jo (2018). Against Meritocracy: Culture, Power, and Myths of Mobility. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-138-88954-5.
- ^ Fox, Margalit (25 January 2002). "Michael Young, 86, Scholar; Coined, Mocked 'Meritocracy'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ^ Mijs, Jonathan J.B.; Savage, Mike (2020). "Meritocracy, Elitism and Inequality". The Political Quarterly. 91 (2): 397–404. doi:10.1111/1467-923X.12828. hdl:1765/135370.
- ^ Sachs-Cobbe, Benjamin (2023). "Recent Work on Meritocracy". Analysis. 83 (1): 171–185. doi:10.1093/analys/anac091. hdl:10023/28168.
- ^ Chang, C.H. (2017). "How meritocracy is defined today?: Contemporary aspects of meritocracy". Recent Issues in Sociological Research. 10 (1): 112–121. doi:10.14254/2071-789X.2017/10-1/8.
- ^ De Vos, M. (2020). The European Court of Justice and the march towards substantive equality in European Union anti-discrimination law. International Journal of Discrimination and the Law, 20(1), 62-87.