American Meritocracy

Worth reading.

America’s Collapsing Meritocracy Is a Recipe for Revolt:  Chinese history shows what happens when an old system loses its force.

"Educational systems everywhere are systems of social control, and a testing apparatus on an imperial scale was a core method of molding society as well as the government to fit the needs of the imperial court. The standardized test created standard elite language, culture, and, crucially, expectations."

Related. 

The Endless Pursuit of Better - Long but worth reading.