By Ipichiesimhe I. and Michelle F.

In America, does success derive from hard work, or merely connections and loyalty? Are leadership positions handed out like Costco freebies to the elites or can years of education and passion earn you prestigious responsibility? 

Citizens on the streets of Princeton, New Jersey were asked their views regarding the debate over whether the United States is a meritocracy.

It is clear that the public’s view is divided; some think that the country does a good job awarding people the outcomes they deserve, while others believe it is unfair how hard work is rewarded.

“If I’m honest, maybe I’m a little cynical,” says New Jerseyan Vanyah Harrigan when asked how she feels about the way merit is valued in leadership roles of the U.S. 

“I immediately think of the president’s office, right?” Harrigan says, noting what candidates should be expected to do to succeed but aren’t doing now. “You have to go to really difficult places to earn it. If you want to run for the highest office, that should be an expectation.”

Samuel Makino, a former Marine, shared his views on the changes he observed since he left the military. “For me, having guys who I served with that had the qualification to save lives, and for the leadership position [we relied on] the people in government—now, it’s a complete joke,” Makino says. “You need to have competent people in leadership, which unfortunately right now, we don’t have.”

But another man, who chose to be referred to as Mero, disagreed, saying he believes meritocracy does exist in politics. “There were elections and apparently merit is coming back,” he said.

Mandy Duffy, a tourist from the United Kingdom visiting Princeton with her children, said that the U.S. is not truly where it wants to be. “My understanding is that the U.S. is already a meritocracy society, well, at least in theory. In practice, it could be something different.