Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Can someone explain what a meritocracy is?

I'm reading several different things but still confused. The assignment I did on this question was crap, and I still obviously am unclear what it is.
How you would, for instance, answer "examine the view that britain is a meritocracy, with education performance primarily the result of effort".

Reply 1

Chris.Livesey

Basically, it's the idea that if people are given equal opportunity to do something (like acheive in the education system) then in a competitive system personal effort / merit is the key criterion for "success".

This is actually a good question to get because once you've outlined what meritocracy means / involves you can through the kitchen sink at it in perspective terms (basically you;ve have Fuctionalists lined-up as pro-meritocracy and all the reat saying why we don;t live in a meritocratic society). e.g. you could question whether we live in a meritocracy from a huge range of viewpoints.

Reply 2

cambio wechsel

What very few people know is that the coiner of the term meritocracy intended it as pejorative. Michael Young was trying to write a dystopian '1984' type novel about a society in which you had to collect pieces of paper to get on.

But his book was received by some at face value and he got made a life peer.

Anyway, put this in your paper, because your teacher likely doesn't know it.

Reply 3

Jordenfruitbat

Original post by akemikat

It basically means we live in a society where we can be socially mobile (change class) :smile:

Society is based on achieved status I.E working hard in education etc rather than ascribed status, which is through your family. So we all get an equal chance.