Meritocratic Equality of Opportunity is a system where success and positions are based solely on an individual's merit, building upon the concept of Formal Equality of Opportunity. It specifically rejects discrimination based on arbitrary or formal grounds, emphasizing that what truly matters is a person's abilities and accomplishments.
Understanding Meritocracy and Equal Opportunity
To fully grasp meritocratic equality of opportunity, it’s helpful to understand the related concepts:
- Formal Equality of Opportunity: This principle opposes overt discrimination based on race, gender, religion, etc. It ensures everyone has the same starting line, but doesn’t necessarily address systemic advantages or disadvantages.
- Meritocracy: This is a system where success is determined by individual merit, encompassing talent, hard work, and achievements. Positions and rewards are distributed based on how well someone performs, rather than their background or connections.
Key Characteristics of Meritocratic Equality of Opportunity
Here's how it functions:
- Rejection of Discrimination: It extends formal equality by saying that opportunities should not be denied based on anything other than actual merit. As noted in the provided reference, it "builds on Formal Equality of Opportunity's opposition to formal and arbitrary discrimination."
- Distribution Based on Merit: Positions and goods are awarded based on demonstrated ability and achievement. The reference confirms that "Meritocracy requires that positions and goods be distributed solely in accordance with individual merit."
- Fair Competition: It aims to create a level playing field where everyone has a fair chance to succeed if they apply themselves.
- Emphasis on Individual Effort: While systemic factors are not entirely ignored, the primary focus is on the effort and talent of each individual.
Practical Insights and Examples
Here are some practical insights into meritocratic equality of opportunity:
- Education: A meritocratic system might prioritize access to higher education based on academic achievement, not just socioeconomic status, but is expected to provide high quality education for every person regardless of their socioeconomic status.
- Employment: Job positions are filled based on skills, experience, and qualifications, not connections or biases.
- Awards and Recognition: Prizes and accolades are given based on performance and contributions to a field.
- Addressing Systemic Issues: While it focuses on individual merit, proponents also need to work towards removing existing inequalities that could affect people's ability to compete fairly.
- Not Necessarily Pure: No system is fully meritocratic as many factors that are not related to merit still effect success. Acknowledging this is important in attempting to build systems that are more meritocratic.
Table of Comparison
| Feature | Formal Equality of Opportunity | Meritocratic Equality of Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Main Focus | Removal of Formal Barriers (e.g., explicit discrimination) | Distribution of Resources Based on Merit |
| Basis for Opportunity | Same starting line regardless of background | Achievement, talent, effort |
| Addressing Inequalities | Focuses on equal treatment | Focuses on equal opportunity to achieve success based on merit |
Conclusion
Meritocratic equality of opportunity strives to create a fairer society where individuals are judged by their achievements and abilities, rather than on arbitrary factors such as their background. While the ideal is rarely achieved perfectly, it represents a goal of creating a society where opportunities are distributed based on demonstrable merit.
