The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?

by Michael J. Sandel

The true value of our contribution cannot be measured by the wage we receive, for wages depend, as the economist-philosopher Frank Knight pointed out (see chapter 5), on contingencies of supply and demand. The value of our contribution depends instead on the moral and civic importance of the ends our efforts serve.

In market-driven societies, interpreting material success as a sign of moral desert is a persisting temptation. It is a temptation we need repeatedly to resist. One way of doing so is to debate and enact measures that prompt us to reflect, deliberately and democratically, on what counts as truly valuable contributions to the common good and where market verdicts miss the mark.

Whatever the merit of Cass’s particular proposals, what is interesting about his project is that it works out the implications of shifting our focus from maximizing GDP to creating a labor market conducive to the dignity of work and social cohesion.