Noun
the belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth
a form of social system in which power goes to those with superior intellects
Source: WordNetThose who are able to climb up the ladder will find ways to pull it up after them, or selectively lower it down to allow their friends, allies, and kin to scramble up. In other words: 'Who says meritocracy says oligarchy.' Chris Hayes
All companies can benefit from fostering a more flexible environment (creating a place where the most talented, industrious, and entrepreneurial people want to work) and relinquishing hierarchical control to favor a results-oriented meritocracy. Maynard Webb
I loved working on Wall Street. I loved the meritocracy of it and the camaraderie of the trading floor. Chelsea Clinton
If Anonymous and Lulzsec are the id of hacking, then physical hackerspaces are the heart of the higher-minded hacking ideals: freedom of information, meritocracy of ideas, a joy of learning and anti-authoritarianism. Heather Brooke
One of the best things about being an actor is that it's a meritocracy. Benedict Cumberbatch
An egalitarian educational system is necessarily opposed to meritocracy and reward for achievement. It is inevitably opposed to procedures that might reveal differing levels of achievement. Robert Bork