Intelligence Squared

Is Meritocracy a Myth? With Adrian Wooldridge and Mark Mardell

Jun 15, 2021

In this engaging discussion, Adrian Wooldridge, an economist and political editor known for his insights on talent and societal structure, joins Mark Mardell to explore the complexities of meritocracy. They dive into its historical roots and the modern challenges it faces, questioning whether the system truly serves fairness. The conversation touches on the erosion of the American Dream, the impact of socio-economic status on educational opportunities, and the implications of assortative mating on inequality. Wooldridge argues for reforming meritocracy while preserving its core ideals.

44:34

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Episode guests

Adrian Wooldridge

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

The Complexities of Meritocracy

20min

The Erosion of the American Dream: Meritocracy Under Question

2min

The Impact of Assortative Mating on Inequality

2min

Meritocracy and Measurement: Inequality in Education

14min

The Threats to Meritocracy: Lessons from History

3min

Join the debate and discuss this episode with fellow listeners on our Multytude conversation here: https://multytudelink.page.link/2u9nK2SP7SH7DCyU7 -- Meritocracy: the idea that people should be advanced according to their talents rather than their status at birth. For much of history this was a revolutionary thought, but by the end of the twentieth century it had become the world's ruling ideology. How did this happen, and why is meritocracy now under attack from both right and left? In this week's episode Adrian Wooldridge speaks to Mark Mardell about his new book 'The Aristocracy of Talent' and why we should reform but not abandon the meritocratic idea.

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