Demeritocracy

The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, January 1, 2020

If the dream of a meritocracy is that everyone has the opportunity to rise as far as their talents and hard work will take them, then the usual criticism of the system is that we don’t have a level playing field. In his new book, however, Michael Sandel forcefully argues that even if it were possible to have a level playing field, meritocracy is deeply flawed. After tracing the history of meritocratic ideals in economic policy, Sandel hits his stride when he describes the role of schools as “sorting machines.” For those students who succeed, the message of meritocracy gives them a false sense of entitlement, detached from any understanding of the role of luck in their success; for those who do not succeed, meritocracy induces a humiliating sense of failure and self-blame. For school leaders, the heart of this argument is one with which we need to reckon. Our schools largely organize themselves around the flawed principles of meritocracy, teaching students to focus only on their own rising. In this, we abandon our responsibility to cultivate in students the civic-minded social bonds and understanding of mutual indebtedness that are essential for democracy.