meritocracy
Ability determines advancement
Meritocracy is a system in which advancement and rewards are based on individual ability and achievement rather than wealth, family connections, or social class.
The term often carries an aspirational tone—a true meritocracy would reward hard work—but it's frequently used critically to question whether such systems actually exist or whether they merely justify existing inequalities.
Someone who believes in meritocratic principles holds that people should rise or fall based on their own talents and efforts.
Successful completion of aim
- attainmentSuccessful reaching of goal
- successFavorable outcome attained
- advancementForward movement or promotion
- promotionRank increase or publicity
recognition · reward · credentials · qualification · proficiency · mastery · competence · performance
Ordered position assignment
- stratificationDivision into distinct levels
- sortingArranging into sequence
- eliteSuperior select group
- top-tierOf highest quality
selectivity · winners · losers · underclass · overclass · gatekeeping · filtering · tracking
Sustained resolve despite obstacles
- diligenceCareful, persistent effort
- strivingEarnest sustained endeavor
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- ambitionDesire for achievement
motivation · grit · tenacity · industriousness · persistence · drive · toil · hustle
Innate capability
- giftednessExceptional innate ability
- geniusPerson of rare brilliance
- skillAcquired ability through practice
- expertiseSkill from extensive practice
prowess · acumen · ingenuity · virtuoso · prodigy · brilliance · capability · flair
Philosophy of universal equality
- justiceFair treatment under law
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- ConfucianismChinese ethical philosophy
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
equal-opportunity · desert · entitlement · libertarianism · utilitarianism · technocracy
Exclusive right or benefit
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
- inequalityUnequal distribution of resources
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
illusion · rigged · credentialism · elitism · plutocracy · aristocracy · winner-take-all · tokenism
College admissions exam
- GREGraduate school entrance exam
- tenureProtected employment status
- SingaporeSoutheast Asian city-state
- scholarshipEducational funding or erudition
Freedom from prejudice
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- transparencyState of being see-through
- unbiasedFree from prejudice
- nondiscriminationEqual treatment regardless of identity
accomplishment
Successful completion of aim
- attainmentSuccessful reaching of goal
- successFavorable outcome attained
- advancementForward movement or promotion
promotion · recognition · reward · credentials · qualification · proficiency · mastery · competence · performance · resume
ranking
Ordered position assignment
- stratificationDivision into distinct levels
- sortingArranging into sequence
- eliteSuperior select group
top-tier · selectivity · winners · losers · underclass · overclass · gatekeeping · filtering · tracking · tiered
perseverance
Sustained resolve despite obstacles
- diligenceCareful, persistent effort
- strivingEarnest sustained endeavor
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
ambition · motivation · grit · tenacity · industriousness · persistence · drive · toil · hustle · self-improvement
aptitude
Innate capability
- giftednessExceptional innate ability
- geniusPerson of rare brilliance
- skillAcquired ability through practice
expertise · prowess · acumen · ingenuity · virtuoso · prodigy · brilliance · capability · flair · knack
egalitarianism
Philosophy of universal equality
- justiceFair treatment under law
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- ConfucianismChinese ethical philosophy
Plato · equal-opportunity · desert · entitlement · libertarianism · utilitarianism · technocracy
privilege
Exclusive right or benefit
- nepotismPreferring kin in hiring
- cronyismFavoring friends in appointments
- inequalityUnequal distribution of resources
myth · illusion · rigged · credentialism · elitism · plutocracy · aristocracy · winner-take-all · tokenism
SAT
College admissions exam
impartiality
Freedom from prejudice
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- transparencyState of being see-through
- unbiasedFree from prejudice
- Meiji JapanEmperor Meiji, modernization, westernization, privy council, prefectures
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- governmentsdemocracy, monarchy, autocracy, oligarchy, republic
- social systemspolitical systems, capitalism, feudalism, economic systems, socialism
- fairnessfair play, fair shake, fair treatment, fair and square, fair share
- hierarchiestier, tiers, level, levels, rank
meritocracynepotism
Preferring kin in hiring
aristocracy · cronyism · plutocracy · oligarchy · hereditary rule
meritocracyprivilege
Exclusive right or benefit
entitlement · corruption · rigged system · glass ceiling · structural inequality