The Guardian

Do we want to live in a meritocracy? | Sam Freedman

The double shock of Donald Trump’s election and Leave’s referendum win in 2016 sent political commentators scurrying for an explanation. The blame was largely placed on members of a smug liberal elite, who had grown so convinced of their own status and opinions that they ignored the growing discontent of their fellow citizens. Trump’s win and Brexit were, in their different ways, a reason and an opportunity for those who had been “left behind” to kick back.

There’s much to this argument. In western democracies, modern political parties of centre left and right have increasingly emphasised merit as the basis on which society

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