Hi everybody and welcome to Intelligent Squared for a series we call Agree to Disagree.

I'm John Don Van and Agree to Disagree is where we bring together two guests, two opinions,

one topic and the hope of a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the issue we're

discussing.

And today that issue is meritocracy.

Whether meritocracy works, why it is an ideal, what it's supposed to lead to, what it

does lead to, where examining this question as it's clear that there is a lot of discontent

over issues like who wins the most prizes in American life and over whether the playing

field truly is level, while there are concerns over inequality and persistent impacts of racism

and arguments over how to correct and address those inequities.

It has been practically axiomatic in our lifetime, certainly in my lifetime, to assert

that meritocracy is how society should set its priorities.

But is it possible that meritocracy in practice and even in its basic concept is part of the

problem rather than part of the solution?

Arguing yes to that question is going to be Daniel Markovitz, professor of law at Yale

Law School and author of The Meritocracy Trap, how America's foundational myth feeds

inequality, dismantles the middle class, and devours the elite.

Arguing no will be Adrian Waldrich, political editor and columnist for the economist and

author of The Aristocracy of Talent, how meritocracy made the modern world.

Dan and Adrian, thanks so much for joining us in Intelligent Squared.

Thank you John and real pleasure to be on with you Adrian.

And Andrew Daniel, thank you very much for having me John.

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