Meritocratic ideals shifted status markers from political access to educational credentials

Evidence

Today, achievements tend to be embodied in particular forms of capital. In the past, political capital—access to power—reigned supreme. This could take the form of tribal leadership, religious authority, or government position. In a more secular and democratic world, the value of such capital has decreased. As meritocracy becomes more of a shared ideal, new forms of capital have emerged. Educational capital—university degrees and certifications—has become an important way to measure potential talent for taking on important social positions. Strong academic performance at top universities is understood to predict an individual’s knowledge and ability for critical thinking, and also, the potential for securing superior employment opportunities. Occupational capital is the subsequent prestige attached to important and well-respected jobs, such as doctor, lawyer, or professor. This respect is not always linked to salary. Card sharks sit at lower status tiers than academics despite larger incomes. — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 85

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Ties to the Annihilation of Caste reading on ‘merit discourse masking accumulated privilege’ — degree credentials function as the modern meritocratic capital analogous to caste-based birth capital.
• XREF: Connects to Bradley’s claim about status criteria being contrived; also resonates with the DEEPTHINKING around social constructs in prior books. — connects to: Emphasis on merit and racelessness accompanied shifts away from the welfare state — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on…, 1739; Merit selection transforms rather than removes politics from judicial selection — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 439

Broader Connections

• Merit selection transforms rather than removes politics from judicial selection #expands (0.76) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 439
• Emphasis on merit and racelessness accompanied shifts away from the welfare state #qualifies (0.74) — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race, 1739