Meritocracy and Equal Access to the Public Sector: A Comparative Analysis of Accessibility to Public Sector Jobs and Public Services
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the impact of meritocracy on equal access to the public sector, focusing on public sector employment and services. While meritocratic principles promote impartiality and fairness in administrative processes, their effectiveness in improving equal accessibility remains understudied and contested. Drawing on the literature linking meritocracy to democratic stability, we argue that strong meritocratic systems enhance equal access to the public sector regardless of social groups and gender by fostering professional stewardship in the bureaucracy and strengthening checks and balances between bureaucrats and politicians. Our findings, drawn from a panel dataset consisting of 161 countries over 49 years, suggest that meritocratic recruitment systems improve equal access to public sector employment and public services
Authors: Beomgeun Cho, Heasun Choi
Institutions: Singapore Management University, University of Seoul
Language: English
Subfield: Public Administration
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4415452736