Back to the full dot-point answer
SingaporeGeneral PaperQuick questions
Ethics and Society
Quick questions on Equality and meritocracy explained: H1 General Paper
7short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the case for meritocracy?Show answer
Meritocracy has strong appeal, especially against the alternatives:
What is the flaws of meritocracy?Show answer
Yet meritocracy has serious, well-documented problems:
What is reframe?Show answer
The strongest judgement reframes the debate. Meritocracy is fairer than systems of birth and connection, so the answer is not to abandon it but to make it real: level the starting line through education and support, temper the arrogance of success, and broaden what counts as worth. This lets you defend meritocracy against both uncritical celebration and wholesale rejection.
What are vague examples?Show answer
"Some people have advantages" evidences little. Use specific cases such as tutoring access or social-mobility debates.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain the difference between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Give one reason meritocracy can entrench inequality despite rewarding merit. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain why equality of opportunity and equality of outcome are linked rather than pure alternatives. [3 marks]
Have a question we have not covered?
This dot-point answer is short enough that we have not extracted many short questions yet. Read the full dot-point answer or ask Mo, our study assistant, in the chat for follow ups.