능력주의의 함정 - 능력주의의 본질과 폐해에 관한 비판적 고찰

Abstract

It is evident that economic development could be achieved based on individual abilities in the process of international competition. However, excessive competition would lead to blind faith in individual abilities. The meritocracy of the "techno-bureaucratic version" we have experienced has broken the link between competence and moral judgment. This is because excessive belief in meritocracy has resulted in a much competitive society and has led to a trend of taking for granted the polarization of society. In particular, in Korean society, cronyism, which is considered as a side effect of the Confucian tradition, has met meritocracy. And, the corruption has appeared as social ills, which appears as challenges to the system of democracy. The meaning of meritocracy is regarded as a system that rewards or distributes wealth and power (status) according to an individual's ability, effort, performance or achievement. Unlike a social status, the ability is considered as being obtained through self-effort. For this reason, the ability seems to have a legitimacy that is incomparably higher than the legitimacy given by the status. Therefore, if an individual ability is tested, it should be also tested on whether the individual can take the responsibility as well. Unfortunately, in a modern society, there seems to be little possibility of such a test. Successful people do not consider any luck or circumstances because they believe that the success is purely the fruit of their own abilities and efforts. The hubris of meritocracy has forgotten chances and lucks as the background to make success. The advancement of meritocracy gradually weakens the active participation of members in the public sphere although it is regarded as a democratic value in the practical sense and the maturation of public reason. In order to get out of the trap of meritocracy, more time and effort will be required than what has been needed to escape from the old cast-system.