2022, Vol., No.53

The Korean Journal of Chiristian Social Ethics 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.58

pISSN : 1229-8387 / eISSN : 2713-749X
https://journal.kci.go.kr/csethics

This study aims to clarify the problem of meritocracy and to show a way to overcome it, which can be discovered in Wolfgang Huber’s legal ethics. In the meritocratic structure, where distribution by merit is important, the social background of the individual is disregarded. Therefore, substantive equality of opportunity is necessary to mitigate the effects of poor starting conditions. The law contributes to its realization. Huber explains the purpose and function of law and emphasizes the need for theological reflection. He further argues that education promotes the realization of substantive equality of opportunity. On this basis, the church must endeavor to implement the right to development. This legal-ethical effort contributes to overcoming the meritocracy problem and the development of society.

Meritocracy professes an equal society that respects individual merit. However, Meritocracy has contributed to the mechanism to justify the social hierarchy of classes. Sociologists concerned about the polarization of class structure in capitalism criticize that Meritocracy has promoted social inequality with conflict and division in society. This article discloses that Meritocracy consists of contemporary aristocratic inheritance, justification of democracy, and collusion with Elitism. This research presents how the term ‘Meritocracy’ is used in various contexts of Korean society. It also shows how ‘Merit competency-hierarchy’ and Neoliberalism have separated Korean middleclass women. This study offers the position and perspectives in political-economical-social geomorphology of Korean Society to access and interpret the phenomena through democratic Ideas and ethical-theological thoughts.

In modernization, Western society conceives an idea of justice as distributing advantages and disadvantages to individuals by individual’s share. In capitalism, the idea of justice has become a universal belief that the distribution should accord with each individual’s merit. This belief is called meritocracy which in today’s society is believed to be an idea of achieving distributive justice upon which all can agree. However, modern meritocracy conceals an unequal structure. This paper shows the meritocratic unfairness and the necessity of forgiveness and consolation for the concept of distributive justice as the righteousness of God. To this end, first, this research shows that there is an unequal structure in meritocratic ideology, which evolves into sentiments of hatred and discrimination in Korean society. Second, according to Thomas Picketty, hereditary middle class and succession of wealth have always existed in meritocracy. Third, I will confirm that the similarity between the spirit of capitalism and Protestant ethics is no longer valid within financial capitalism.