The Politics of Meritocracy

Abstract

Contemporary western democracies have become political meritocracies. All political arenas are dominated by university graduates, such as economists and lawyers. Citizens with low or medium qualifications have disappeared from parties, parliaments and other policymaking arenas. This book panel features two recently published books that examine this domination of higher educated citizens in all arenas of political participation, civil society, and political office in Western Europe, and how professional experts have effectively captured key areas of policy making. The book panel discusses the causes and institutional preconditions for this rise of a political meritocracy, as well as its consequences for representation, accountability and legitimacy, such as descriptive deficits, policy incongruences, biased standards, and cynicism and distrust. Also, it discusses ways to remedy, or at least mitigate, some of its negative effects The panel has two discussants and is moderated by a chair.