This report examines the meaning of “meritocracy” by analyzing the perception of “resource allocation criteria” among Koreans based on the Koreans’ Happiness Survey, 2021.
Pointing out that the ambiguous performance-oriented system, also referred as “ideally effort-based, but practically performance-based” system, may be what Koreans think of as meritocracy today, the report highlights the need to thoroughly examine the bright and dark sides of “meritocracy” as a criterion for resource allocation.