Editing Meritocracy (section)

====The Meritocracy Trap====

In his 2019 book ''The Meritocracy Trap'', [[Daniel Markovits]] poses that meritocracy is responsible for the exacerbation of [[social stratification]], to the detriment of much of the general population. He introduces the idea of "snowball inequality", a perpetually widening gap between elite workers and members of the middle class. While the elite obtain exclusive positions thanks to their wealth of demonstrated merit, they occupy jobs and oust middle class workers from the core of economic events. The elites use their high earnings to secure the best education for their own children, so that they may enter the world of work with a competitive advantage over those who did not have the same opportunities. Thus, the cycle continues with each generation.

In this case, the middle class suffers decreased opportunities for individual prosperity and financial success. While it is impossible to quantify the exact effects of this social divide on the middle class, the [[opioid epidemic]], dramatic rises in "[[Disease of despair|deaths of despair]]"<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Case |first1=Anne |title=Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism |last2=Angus |first2=Deaton |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2020 |isbn=9780691190785}}</ref> (suicides, mental health and alcoholism), and lowering life expectancy in these meritocratic societies are often listed as results of it. It is not only the middle class who suffer the negative effects of meritocracy, however. The societal elite have to pay a significant price for their hectic working life. Many admit suffering from physical and mental health issues, inability to sustain a good quality personal life and a lack of time spent with their families. Children of the social elite are often forced into a highly competitive educational environment from a young age, which continues throughout school, university, and into their work life. Through this argument, the author attacks the idea of a meritocracy as a fair means to evaluate and reward the most skilled and hard-working members of society.

Markovits proposes a different approach to meritocracy, one where socioeconomic life conveniences are freely distributed to the people who are sufficiently successful at the things they are doing rather than creating an environment of ongoing competition. He calls for reform of economic roles, organizations and institutions in order to include a wider population and hence narrow the increasing inequality gap by questioning the social hegemony of high-profile workers, and intervening with redistribution of earnings, working hours and social identity on behalf of middle class workers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Markovits |first=Daniel |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/548174/the-meritocracy-trap-by-daniel-markovits/ |title=The Meritocracy Trap |date=2019-09-10 |publisher=Penguin Random House |access-date=30 April 2021 |archive-date=30 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430215329/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/548174/the-meritocracy-trap-by-daniel-markovits/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Karma |first=Roge |title=The Meritocracy Trap, explained |url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/10/24/20919030/meritocracy-book-daniel-markovits-inequality-rich |journal=Vox |year=2019 |access-date=30 April 2021 |archive-date=14 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514063825/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/10/24/20919030/meritocracy-book-daniel-markovits-inequality-rich |url-status=live }}</ref>