Definition of Meritocracy

1. Noun. A form of social system in which power goes to those with superior intellects.


2. Noun. The belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth.
Generic synonyms: Ideology, Political Orientation, Political Theory
Derivative terms: Meritocratic

Definition of Meritocracy

1. Noun. Rule by merit, and talent. By extension, now often used to describe a type of society where wealth, income, and social status are assigned through competition. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Meritocracy

1. [n -CIES]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Meritocracy

merit badge
merit pay
merit system
meritable
merited
meritedly
merithallus
meriting
meriting(p)
meritless
meritlessly
meritlessness
meritmonger
meritmongers
meritocracies
meritocracy (current term)
meritocrat
meritocratic
meritocratically
meritocrats
meritorious
meritoriously
meritoriousness
meritory
meritot
merits
merk
merkel cells
merking

Literary usage of Meritocracy

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Politics of Trade and Industrial Policy in Africa: Forced Consensus? by Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Michael Osita Ogbu, Ha-Joon Chang (2004)
"Concept of meritocracy and Related Issues The debate about meritocracy has ... It is therefore felt that the meritocracy issue should become more and more ..."

2. Monarchies: What are King and Queens For? by Tom Bentley, James Wilsdon (2002)
"meritocracy remains easily the most efficient way to organise society, although like democracy itself, the meritocratic system requires checks and balances. ..."

3. The Danger in Overemphasizing the Use of Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT ...edited by Teresa P. Hughes edited by Teresa P. Hughes (2000)
"The word "meritocracy"—coined by a contemptuous British social satirist in 1958, but now burnished with a positive gloss—is often used to denote die system ..."

4. Capital (1888)
"THE COMPANY—meritocracy—FAIR REWARD : ITC's respect for human dignity and ... Within meritocracy age has been no barrier. Annual Bonus in your Company has ..."

5. Lifelong Learning for All: Meeting of the Education Committee at Ministerial by Albert Tuijnman (1996)
"1n the United States, to take another example, there is a strong commitment to meritocracy - a notion used to describe a social system where status depends ..."

6. Tomorrow's Politics: The Third Way and Beyond by Ian Christie, Ian Hargreaves (1998)
"THE MEANING OF EQUALITY Many suggest that the only model of equality today should be equality of opportunity, or meritocracy - that is, the neoliberal model ..."

7. Understanding the Brain: Towards a New Learning Science by OECD Staff (2002)
"1n a meritocracy, one of the principal functions of education is to sort people by "ability and aptitude". Aristocracies know who the best people are, ..."

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