After a careful evaluation of the social systems in the USA and the meaning of meritocracy, I do not believe that a true meritocracy exists. In a true meritocracy, the most talented and qualified leaders would win political office, the best managers would lead corporate America, and the best students would consistently win position n top schools. A careful evaluation of the situation on the ground shows that a semblance of meritocracy exists, but it falls below the standards of a true meritocracy.
Beginning on a political perspective, it is common knowledge that the two leading contenders in the 2016 Presidential elections were Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Trump is the son of an affluent New York real estate developer who amassed a fortune in the 20 th century. On the other hand, Clinton is wife to the 42 nd president of the United States. It is easy to see that the perceived merits of these two individuals, to some extent stem from a connection to powerful individuals in their lives. This argument does not mean that they were not qualified. However, the final two prove that any ordinary high talented potential president never got a fair chance.
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Secondly, in corporate leadership, most of the best-educated and talented leaders get stuck in mid-level management while connected leaders raise to the top. It is common knowledge that in America, the individual who invents an idea upon which a company develops or a member of the founding family of the company is usually the chief executive or president of the corporation. While inventors and founders deserve credit and a return on their contribution, it does not make them the most meritorious leaders.
Finally, from an academic perspective, the environment limits merit. For example, affluent children attend school with the kind of amenities that are not available in poorer schools (Pearman & Swain, 2017). However, children from both sets of schools write the same tests and fight for the same opportunities in institutions of higher learning. Once again, a semblance of meritocracy exists in education, but the scales tilt to create an undue advantage to one group.
References
Pearman, F. A., & Swain, W. A. (2017). School choice, gentrification, and the variable significance of racial stratification in urban neighborhoods. Sociology of Education , 90 (3), 213-235.
