What does meritocracy emphasize as the basis for rewards?

Meritocracy emphasizes personal attributes and demonstrated abilities as the foundation for rewards. The concept is built on the idea that individuals should succeed based on their talents, hard work, skills, and achievements rather than external factors like socioeconomic status, family connections, or luck. In a meritocratic system, success is ideally determined by merit—how individuals perform in education, their job, and other aspects of life, highlighting the value of personal effort and capability.

In contrast, family background and connections might imply that relationships or lineage play a significant role in determining success, which is contrary to the meritocratic principle. Wealth and social status relate to inherited advantages and privileges, which are not the focus of a meritocratic framework. Lastly, random chance suggests that success is a product of luck rather than effort or ability, which again does not align with the meritocratic ideal. Therefore, focusing on personal attributes and abilities highlights the essence of meritocracy.