The traps of meritocracy. A tour of the most significant problems that hide the merit

Authors

  • Gastón Souroujon Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18042/cepc/rep.191.03

Abstract

The article sets out to deconstruct a certain common sense that has been articulated on merit as the fairest criterion for the distribution of rewards and positions within society. To this end, a double path will be followed, first of all, a historical one, by which an attempt will be made to synthetically detail the history of the category in the 20th century, its antecedents, and its transformation into a principle of legitimization of the inequalities agreed upon and unobjectionable. Second, theoretical, by which we will review the most lucid analyses around the concept, in particular the objections that from the heterogeneous liberal family (family where a priori is supposed to have greater acceptance) have been carried out in order to recapitulate the different dimensions and problems that accompany the concept.

Published

2021-03-18

Issue

Section

ARTICLES