coined 1958 by British sociologist Michael Young (1915-2002) and used in title of his book, "The Rise of the Meritocracy"; from merit (n.) + -cracy. Related: Meritocratic.
[Young's book] imagined an elite that got its position not from ancestry, but from test scores and effort. For him, meritocracy was a negative term; his spoof was a warning about the negative consequences of assigning social status based on formal educational qualifications, and showed how excluding from leadership anyone who couldnât jump through the educational hoops would create a new form of discrimination. And thatâs exactly what has happened. [Lani Guinier, interview, "New York Times," Feb. 7, 2015]
实用例句
1. Wealth disparities are corroding Japan's meritocracy and poverty is rising.
贫富差异腐蚀着日本的实力主义,贫困人口呈上升趋势.
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2. An ethos of meritocracy will permeate business ethics and corporate processes.
任人唯贤的理念将渗透到商业伦理和企业过程中.
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3. Confucianism and legalism are responsible for creating the world's first meritocracy.
