answer to the question "What is meritocracy?".The satirical essay titled "The Rise of Meritocracy: 1870-2033", which was published in 1958, marked the birth in the social and political thought of the new concept.Meritocracy - a "decent board."The book published by Michael Young, English politician and sociologist, in the form of a manuscript, supposedly composed in 2033, tells the story of the transformation at the turn of 20-21 centuries of British society.
Summary of the book "The Rise of the Meritocracy: 1870-2033" M. Young
replaced the classic division into classes, conditional on a place in the social hierarchy of a human presence at a certain resources (communication, wealth, origin, and so on. D.), it's the new order of society, where only the intellect and the ability to determine the position of the individual in it.Britain has ceased to hold the ruling class formed not on the basis of competence.
a result of the reform was introduced meritocracy - a system of governance worthy people.Human dignity (merit) was thus defined as a combination of two elements - investments Forces (effort) and intelligence (IQ).
development of society in the 1990s, according to Yang
By the 1990s, the ruling class meritocracy belonged to all adult people, IQ that exceeds 125. If the previous abilities of gifted people can meet at different levels of the hierarchy of society and often become leaders inwithin their social group or class, now the control system consisted of a single intellectual elite.Those who, for whatever reasons, have appeared at the bottom, had no excuse for failures in the promotion of the social ladder, as it was earlier, when operated different principles and methods of management.They are, according to a new unit of society, deserving of its low position as the most capable people deserve to be at the top of the social hierarchy.That is what meritocracy.
uprising in 2033
members of the lower social strata in 2033 rebelled with the support of the ruling elite, demanding classless society and the equality.They wanted to abolish the principle of meritocracy.Quality of life and the rights of people should not be determined by measuring the level of education and intelligence, claimed the rebels.Anyone should be able to manage their lives independently.A meritocracy - it's power, which limits the possibility.As a result, it was the end of the revolt in Britain.
purpose of the book Michael Young
drawing a rather bleak picture of meritocracy, the result of which was to be a new form of domination of some over others, and social inequality, Michael Young has set a goal to warn against the danger of limited benchmarks British society.He was able to show that it is in their quest for progress, has made a fundamental value of intelligence, thus losing the humanistic principle, humanity.
positive coloration meritocracy
Many, however, has not been heard warning Young.The content of the concept of "meritocracy" (rule of the most educated, capable people with the greatest intelligence) has been retained.However, the term thus received a positive color.Many countries have sought to meritocracy, from Singapore to the UK.At the same time it has acted as an ideology masking the order of things, existing and strengthen as a result of neo-liberal policies.
"Board decent"
to indicate this structure of society, in which intellectuals exercise board, Michael Young has introduced a new term - "the board worthy."Criteria are determined by the dominant dignity in a society values.Indeed, as noted by Amartya Sen, is a relative, not an absolute concept.Calling meritocracy coming to power of the most educated and capable people, Michael Young this term reflected the values prevailing in the society.It acts specifically against their domination, drawing in his work "worthy of the board" in a negative way.In fact, meritocracy - a form of post-industrial structure of society, according to Daniel Bell, its supporters.Knowledge and intelligence began, however, the main value long before the advent of the information society.
legacy of the Age of Enlightenment
free from traditions and prejudices the mind is not limited by anything the quest for knowledge, the desire for progress and rationalism - one of the main, or perhaps the most important legacy that gave us the Enlightenment.The philosophers of this era, breaking with traditional values, specified a new framework of self-determination and understanding of the world of humankind.It is in the never-ending quest for growth through the use of new knowledge can be found one of the foundations of popular ideology of meritocracy.
Communication meritocracy with the concepts of effectiveness and efficiency
development towards progress and the rule of reason determine the basic human dignity within the framework of the values of the dominant society - the ability to make progress in the general contribution.Last would be the greatest only when every thing will be the most capable people, the most suitable for him.The concept of meritocracy is closely associated with the concepts of effectiveness and efficiency.In particular, the desire to ensure the highest efficiency, the productivity of each person who takes charge of the Enlightenment rationalism of their roots, laying the foundation for the highest speed progress on the path of progress.
can assume that it is in this meritocracy is the source of the definition of the device as a fair society.Only those who can achieve the greatest effectiveness, efficiency, most of the growth, and should be at the top of the social hierarchy.Managers need only the most capable, as soon as they can pull the other in the direction of progress.This is in today's society the legitimacy of meritocracy.
Plato and Confucius
Organizational form of government in which power belongs to intellectuals, were described long before Michael Young coined the term "meritocracy".For example, Plato said that the state administration should be entrusted to philosophers.In his teaching Confucius also preached the need for power were educated rulers.Both singing the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, we have had a significant impact on the thinkers of the Enlightenment, which sought inspiration from ancient philosophers.
However, the acquisition of knowledge and reason were not Confucius and Plato as independent, self-worth phenomenon.They were closely associated with the concepts of the common good and virtue.For example, one of the basic principles of the teachings of Confucius - "Ren", which stands for compassion, kindness and humanity.
Confucius, as a supporter of universal education, understood beneath the unity of the two processes of training and education.Second thus play a key role.The aim of this educational thinker considered the spiritual growth of the individual, bringing it closer to the ideal of "Junjie" (noble man who is the bearer of high moral character).
Why meritocracy - it's an unfair arrangement?
Michael Young in his work speaks exactly to the definition of intellectual abilities and intelligence as the dominant values, which is part of a meritocratic competition of modern society supersedes all others, in particular humanity, equality, solidarity and compassion.
Daniel Bell, a theorist of post-industrial society, as well as other supporters of the "reign worthy" argue that the meritocratic society, everyone receives a position which he has earned.In contrast to egalitarianism, which stands for equality of results at the end of the race, meritocracy advocates for equality of opportunity at the beginning.Therefore, she is the fairest unit of society.Michael Young believes that this approach is shown the limitations of values.He says that every person should be respected for the good that is in him.At the same time it should not limit its ability and intelligence.
In his essay Manifesto Michael Young people rebelled against meritocracy, says that people should be evaluated not only by education and mental abilities, but also other qualities: courage and kindness, sensitivity and imagination, generosity and ability to empathize.In such a society could not be said that Switzerland, is a great father, has less dignity than a scientist;a civil servant is better than well grow roses truck driver.
Meritocracy - a power based on the denial of the significance of all these qualities.In addition, it acts as an ideology in which human solidarity has no place.It is based on the competition: to win high social status and quality of life of a person must continuously develop skills and excel others in them.Therefore, the roots of meritocracy - not in a collective and an individual beginning.It is in this sense acts as the ideology of capitalism is close to its competition, the requirement of continuous growth to keep the leading position.
In the spirit of capitalism, meritocracy is incompatible with the idea of solidarity.Kai Nielsen, a Canadian philosopher, said that at a fundamental level is inhumane society.Inhuman when people are constantly competing with each other in almost all areas, thus are continually evaluated, sorting, reytingirovaniyu within the desire for a more productive society, and greater efficiency.So meritocracy - a system that destroys the foundations of solidarity and brotherhood, undermining the sense of belonging to a single human community.
However, the limitations of values - only one of the problems of modern society and meritocracy, though not implemented this ideology in full, but still professing it.Young, criticizing the management system also acts as a critic of social inequality due to the hierarchical structure.He argues, echoing Kant's postulate of man as a goal in itself, that the fundamental basis for the existence of superiority of one people over the other does not exist.A meritocracy - a power based on the superiority.
