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Happen before the merit measuring even begins.
We can all agree equality as an ideal is a positive and desirable thing. Everyone being treated equally, experiencing life with equal footing and security. That doesn’t mean everyone always winning and no one ever losing but rather everyone having an equal opportunity to take a swing at it. If that is the case then those who succeed will be those with the skills, drive, and capacity to achieve higher levels of success which is the definition of a meritocracy.
mer·i·toc·ra·cy
government or the holding of power by people selected on the basis of their ability
Oxford Dictionary
As a model, however, meritocracies are not without their problems. They certainly are a mechanism for allocating power and control to those with higher levels of capability but all forms of hierarchies can also be vulnerable to corruption. However the position of power was reached, along with that position comes both the natural desire to remain there as well as the means and opportunity to modify the rules and processes to facilitate it.
In a genuine meritocracy those with the highest level of capability ascend to the positions of greatest authority and are only able to remain there on the basis of their continuingly proven capabilities. Should…