Which term describes a system where social positions are earned based on merit?

• A. Post-compulsory education
• B. Faith Schools
• C. Meritocracy
• D. Life Chances

Answer: (C)

Meritocracy describes a system in which social positions are earned through merit—ability, effort, and achievement—rather than being determined by birth or family background. The idea is that advancement comes from what you do and how well you do it, not who you were born to. This aligns with the notion of positions being earned by merit. The other terms don’t describe this mechanism: post-compulsory education is schooling after the compulsory age; faith schools are schools with a religious ethos; and life chances refer to the chances a person has to improve their situation, not the way positions are allocated by merit. In reality, meritocracy is idealized and debates exist about how truly merit-based societies are, given structural barriers that can affect opportunity.