Meritocracy, Citizenship and Education New Labour's Legacy

This monograph celebrates the 50th anniversary of Michael Young's iconic book The Rise of the Meritocracy by analysing the ideas behind meritocracy, citizenship and education. Within the context of Young's ideologies and influences on education the support for meritocracy under New Labour in the UK is examined. The book then goes on to examine Bew Labour's idea of active citizenship. The aim is to go beyond exposition to develop a sustained critique, particularly of New Labour's over-centralising tendencies and the associated erosion of local and institutional democracy.