In a country such as Japan, which values meritocracy highly (Butler, 2015; Kariya, 2002), university entrance exam results are critical.
On this view, his demanding but meritocratic approach, rewarding ideas and knowledge over power, was a rejection of the injustices of communism.Dr Grove, however, insists that it was his experience at City College, where talent and hard work were rewarded and where students challenged their professors without concern for rank, that impressed upon him the value of meritocracy.
The Confucian tradition is diverse and contested, but Confucians today typically defend two key values: political meritocracy and harmony.
The value of political meritocracy is not hard to explain.
Asked in the interview for his advice on what the government should do to improve the economy, he replied: "To continue to focus on traditional Tory values around encouraging a meritocracy and inspiring value creation".
But indigenous values such as meritocracy and harmony may have an even greater place, and China should do its best to persuade the rest of the world of their value.
I'm reminded about how Antonio Simoes of HSBC talks regularly about gay issues in public and at in house events and says, 'It's amazing the number of people who email me from HSBC around the world to say, "I thought your speech was really motivational and I feel really excited about working for a bank that truly values diversity and meritocracy"' (as told in The Glass Closet, by John Browne).
This is another thing I really, really value: being a true meritocracy.
It's possible, of course, that some of the colleges saying they value economic diversity – and meritocracy, regardless of a student's background – won't match their words to actions.
