Modern politics are obsessed with the idea of meritocracy, the “power of the worthy”. This system implies that the best in their field find their way to the top of society, regardless of initial social standing or other factors. The word meritocracy has an exclusively positive connotation. It means the power of the worthy.
Meritocracy can be described as the managerial system of an ideal world. According to its principle, people only move up the career ladder through intelligence, achievement, and hard work. In a meritocracy, there is no room for connections, financial wealth, or social background. Only Singapore has succeeded in introducing meritocracy into an entire country, using this system as one of the main principles of the country’s domestic policy. Alternatively, Japan’s meritocratically selected bureaucracy has also been criticized by the public. Indeed, the bureaucracy is often blamed for the country’s lack of policy flexibility and ongoing economic problems.
Since 1958, when the term “meritocracy” was coined, its meaning has changed, and on closer inspection, things are not so simple. Meritocracy has become a kind of tyranny: all our actions and lives are determined by it. And while in theory, meritocracy offers an opportunity to improve one’s life, in practice, it contributes to the rise of mental illness among young people, the denial of ideas of the public good, and the devaluation of higher education. Indeed, today meritocracy seems to be just another version of the inequality that characterizes any society. In fact, it can be a particularly brutal form of inequality since those who have failed to succeed cannot claim that they are unlucky or that those in power prevent them from making their way to the top. Instead, they must conclude that it is their personal failure and that no amount of effort can help them.
Example of a Meritocracy government system
Many companies in Silicon Valley preach meritocracy and elevate it to a cult-like management principle in which only an employee’s ability and achievements influence career advancement. But we should not forget that intelligence and intellect are important, but compared with kindness, decency, and honesty, they are secondary. A meritocratic company is like a company run by artificial intelligence, and an executive can be compared to a robot. No doubt a robot executive is smarter than everyone else, but he hardly has enough human qualities to remain a worthy leader.
Other Politic Archetypes
Confederations and federations ; Rural communities ; Empire ; Supranational ; Sovereign state ; Chiefdom ; Unitary ; Military Dictatorship ; Tribalism ; Totalitarianism ; Technocracy ; Theocracy ; Socialism ; Republicanism ; Plutocracy ; Populism ; Politeia ; Ochlocracy ; Oligarchy ; Monarchy ; Moderatism ; Meritocracy ; Libertarianism ; Liberalism ; Kleptocracy ; Fascism ; Feudalism ; Federalism ; Despotism ; Democracy ; Communism ; Colonialism ; Capitalism ; Bureaucracy ; Aristocracy ; Eco-Anarchу ; Anarchy
