Geoff Dench is a senior research fellow of the Young Foundation, and was formerly head of sociology and social policy at Middlesex University. He has written a number of books on ethnic relations and on family relationships, and edited several collections.

• Acknowledgements viiNotes on Contributors viiiIntroduction: Reviewing Meritocracy 1Geoff DenchOrigin and Reception 15The Labour Party as Crucible 17Asa BriggsMeritocracy in the Civil Service, 1853–1970 27Jon DavisA Tract for the Times 36Paul BarkerWe Sat Down at the Table of Privilege and Complained about the Food 45Hilary LandThe Chequered Career of a Cryptic Concept 61Claire DonovanLooking Back on Meritocracy 73Michael YoungRelevance to Modem Britain 79A Brief Profile of the New British Establishment 81Jim OggFace, Race and Place: Merit and Ethnic Minorities 90Michelynn LaflècheMarginalised Young Men 97Yvonne RobertsThe Unmaking of the English Working Class 105Ferdinand MountAge and Inequality 109Eric MidwinterShip of State in Peril 116Peregrine WorsthorneAnalytical Value 125The Moral Economy of Meritocracy: or, the Unanticipated Triumph of Reform and the Failure of Revolution in the West 127Irving Louis HorowitzJapan at the Meritocracy Frontier: From Here, Where? 134TAKEHIKO KARIYA And RONALD DOREJust Rewards: Meritocracy Fifty Years Later 157Peter MarrisWhat Do We Mean by Talent? 163Richard Sennett'Resolving the Conflict between the Family and Meritocracy 168Belinda BrownMeritocracy and Popular Legitimacy 183Peter SaundersThe Future 195The New Assets Agenda 197Andrew Gamble And Rajiv PrabhakarNew Labour and the Withering Away of the Working Class? 205Jon CruddasA Delay on the Road to Meritocracy 214Peter WilbyPutting Social Contribution back into Merit 221Geoff DenchLadder of Opportunity or Engine of Inequality? 232Ruth ListerThe Future of Meritocracy 237David WillettsNotes 245Index 263

Geoff Dench is a senior research fellow of the Young Foundation, and was formerly head of sociology and social policy at Middlesex University. He has written a number of books on ethnic relations and on family relationships, and edited several collections.

• Acknowledgements viiNotes on Contributors viiiIntroduction: Reviewing Meritocracy 1Geoff DenchOrigin and Reception 15The Labour Party as Crucible 17Asa BriggsMeritocracy in the Civil Service, 1853–1970 27Jon DavisA Tract for the Times 36Paul BarkerWe Sat Down at the Table of Privilege and Complained about the Food 45Hilary LandThe Chequered Career of a Cryptic Concept 61Claire DonovanLooking Back on Meritocracy 73Michael YoungRelevance to Modem Britain 79A Brief Profile of the New British Establishment 81Jim OggFace, Race and Place: Merit and Ethnic Minorities 90Michelynn LaflècheMarginalised Young Men 97Yvonne RobertsThe Unmaking of the English Working Class 105Ferdinand MountAge and Inequality 109Eric MidwinterShip of State in Peril 116Peregrine WorsthorneAnalytical Value 125The Moral Economy of Meritocracy: or, the Unanticipated Triumph of Reform and the Failure of Revolution in the West 127Irving Louis HorowitzJapan at the Meritocracy Frontier: From Here, Where? 134TAKEHIKO KARIYA And RONALD DOREJust Rewards: Meritocracy Fifty Years Later 157Peter MarrisWhat Do We Mean by Talent? 163Richard Sennett'Resolving the Conflict between the Family and Meritocracy 168Belinda BrownMeritocracy and Popular Legitimacy 183Peter SaundersThe Future 195The New Assets Agenda 197Andrew Gamble And Rajiv PrabhakarNew Labour and the Withering Away of the Working Class? 205Jon CruddasA Delay on the Road to Meritocracy 214Peter WilbyPutting Social Contribution back into Merit 221Geoff DenchLadder of Opportunity or Engine of Inequality? 232Ruth ListerThe Future of Meritocracy 237David WillettsNotes 245Index 263

Geoff Dench is a senior research fellow of the Young Foundation, and was formerly head of sociology and social policy at Middlesex University. He has written a number of books on ethnic relations and on family relationships, and edited several collections.

• Acknowledgements viiNotes on Contributors viiiIntroduction: Reviewing Meritocracy 1Geoff DenchOrigin and Reception 15The Labour Party as Crucible 17Asa BriggsMeritocracy in the Civil Service, 1853–1970 27Jon DavisA Tract for the Times 36Paul BarkerWe Sat Down at the Table of Privilege and Complained about the Food 45Hilary LandThe Chequered Career of a Cryptic Concept 61Claire DonovanLooking Back on Meritocracy 73Michael YoungRelevance to Modem Britain 79A Brief Profile of the New British Establishment 81Jim OggFace, Race and Place: Merit and Ethnic Minorities 90Michelynn LaflècheMarginalised Young Men 97Yvonne RobertsThe Unmaking of the English Working Class 105Ferdinand MountAge and Inequality 109Eric MidwinterShip of State in Peril 116Peregrine WorsthorneAnalytical Value 125The Moral Economy of Meritocracy: or, the Unanticipated Triumph of Reform and the Failure of Revolution in the West 127Irving Louis HorowitzJapan at the Meritocracy Frontier: From Here, Where? 134TAKEHIKO KARIYA And RONALD DOREJust Rewards: Meritocracy Fifty Years Later 157Peter MarrisWhat Do We Mean by Talent? 163Richard Sennett'Resolving the Conflict between the Family and Meritocracy 168Belinda BrownMeritocracy and Popular Legitimacy 183Peter SaundersThe Future 195The New Assets Agenda 197Andrew Gamble And Rajiv PrabhakarNew Labour and the Withering Away of the Working Class? 205Jon CruddasA Delay on the Road to Meritocracy 214Peter WilbyPutting Social Contribution back into Merit 221Geoff DenchLadder of Opportunity or Engine of Inequality? 232Ruth ListerThe Future of Meritocracy 237David WillettsNotes 245Index 263