Table Of ContentContents Page: vii
Preface to the Fourth Edition Page: ix
Acknowledgments Page: xiii
Chapter 1. The American Dream: Origins and Prospects Page: 1
Chapter 2. On Being Made of the Right Stuff: The Case for Merit Page: 21
Chapter 3. The Silver Spoon: Inheritance and the Staggered Start Page: 43
Chapter 4. It’s Not What You Know But . . .: Social and Cultural Capital Page: 69
Chapter 5. Making the Grade: Education and Mobility Page: 89
Chapter 6. I Did It My Way: The Decline of Self-Employment and the Ascent of Corporations Page: 111
Chapter 7. The Luck Factor: Being in the Right Place at the Right Time Page: 131
Chapter 8. Mobility through Marriage: The Cinderella Effect Page: 153
Chapter 9. An Unlevel Playing Field: Racism, Sexism, and Other Isms Page: 171
Chapter 10. Growing Inequality in the Twenty-First Century: What Can Be Done? Page: 201
Notes Page: 227
Index Page: 229
About the Author Page: 239
Description:The Meritocracy Myth challenges the widely held American belief in meritocracy—that people get out of the system what they put into it based on individual merit. The book examines talent, attitude, work ethic, and character as elements of merit and evaluates the effect of nonmerit factors such as family background, social connections, luck, market conditions, unequal educational opportunities, and discrimination. The fourth edition has been revised and streamlined throughout. It features new material on the current economic and political climate; the reasons behind the increasing levels of inequality in the United States and globally; how economic, social, and cultural factors shaped Donald Trump’s rise to political prominence, and more. The fourth edition includes a new chapter on marriage and mobility that examines how patterns in marriage tend to increase the concentration of wealth and pass on nonmerit advantages to children, furthering trends toward social inequality. A compelling book on an often-overlooked topic, The Meritocracy Myth is ideal for introducing students to this provocative topic while sparking discussion and reflection.
