Meritocracy

[mer-i-tok-ruh-see] /ˌmɛr ɪˈtɒk rə si/

noun, plural meritocracies.
1.
an elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class privilege or wealth.
2.
a system in which such persons are rewarded and advanced:
The dean believes the educational system should be a meritocracy.
3.
leadership by able and talented persons.
/ˌmɛrɪˈtɒkrəsɪ/
noun (pl) -cies
1.
rule by persons chosen not because of birth or wealth, but for their superior talents or intellect
2.
the persons constituting such a group
3.
a social system formed on such a basis
n.

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.
meritocracy [(mer-i-tok-ruh-see)]

A government or society in which citizens who display superior achievement are rewarded with positions of leadership. In a meritocracy, all citizens have the opportunity to be recognized and advanced in proportion to their abilities and accomplishments. The ideal of meritocracy has become controversial because of its association with the use of tests of intellectual ability, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, to regulate admissions to elite colleges and universities. Many contend that an individual’s performance on these tests reflects his or her social class and family environment more than ability.