Merit有优点、绩效等意思。Meritocracy是以merit为基础的社会秩序。或者说“一种权力和晋升归于才智优越者而不是血统或者财富拥有者的社会体制”(a form of social system in which power and advancements go to those with superior intellects and not because of their wealth or birth)。唯才是用可能最接近meritocracy的含义,但严格来说,唯才是用只针对上级提拔下级人才,与meritocracy“容许自推和公选”还是有点差别。
欧洲尽管首先提出自由、平等、博爱理念,英国人实际上信奉精英主义,美国人接过了衣钵。精英主义是精英主导的社会秩序,精英就是被认为具有内在高贵品质、才智、财富、权势、名望、特殊技能或经验的小群体(a select group of people perceived as having an intrinsic quality, high intellect, wealth, power, notability, special skills, or experience)。精英主义则是“精英对社会更加具有建设性,因此应该拥有比其他人更多的影响和权威的理念”(the belief or notion that individuals who form an elite are more likely to be constructive to society as a whole, and therefore deserve influence or authority greater than others)。
精英主义有可能也与基督教传统有关,“上帝的子民”(尽管严格来说,英国人顶多是“上帝的外戚”)就是“内在高贵的品质”。大英帝国在征服世界的过程中,也给世界带去工业文明和现代科技,使得英国人自认为高人一等。在1897年维多利亚女王登基60周年的庆典上,英国诗人吉卜林献上一首诗《白人的重担》(The white man’s burden),成为英国人自我定位的终极写照: