Is There a Difference Between Merit and Merit in Governing?

i was thinking to the idea of a aritocracy, was something like plato's republic. What's different about thearitocratic system as is introductionof a kind of free will,. A matter of choice and moral responsibility that goes with it. The element of effort and self making is not present in plato's version. i think we've gone wrongin so far as we're thinking about excellence in governing.