Adrian Wooldridge analyzes the populist revolt against meritocracy, seen in Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. Populists argue that "experts" lack common sense and have become an arrogant, self-satisfied elite. Critics like Christopher Lasch contend

Adrian Wooldridge analyzes the populist revolt against meritocracy, seen in Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. Populists argue that "experts" lack common sense and have become an arrogant, self-satisfied elite. Critics like Christopher Lasch contend that this elite has betrayed democracy by turning against traditional values. A "degenerate version" of meritocracy has emerged through assortative mating, where the cognitive elite marry each other and heavily invest in their children. This creates a "bureaucratic elite" with a meritocratic veneer, reducing social mobility and turning merit into a self-sustaining hereditary status. 7
1808 BANK OF ENGLAND