Meritocracy: A Mongol Innovation

Of the many innovations introduced to other parts of the world by the Mongols, as they invaded neighboring regions and established their empire, meritocracy is among those with the greatest impact over time. Meritocracy, quite simply, is defined as "a system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement."[1] Before the rise of meritocracy, advancement in positions, whether military, political, or economic, was based on nepotism or personal favoritism. With the Mongol concept of meritocracy, family ties were overridden by advancement based on proven ability.[2]

Arguably, this attention to merit rather than bloodlines was among the decisive factors rendering the Mongols so efficient and fearsome on a military basis. The Han Chinese general Guo Kan offers a paradigmatic example. Guo Kan, despite being a member of an army that resisted the Mongols, was promoted under Kublai Khan and assisted the Mongols in subsequent victories. For instance, in describing the Mongol victory over the Abbasid Dynasty, historian Frank McLynn writes that Guo Kan was "at 40 the same age as Hülegü [grandson of Genghis Khan] and already renowned as an example of the way Mongols promoted on merit rather than birth."[3]

The idea that position should be determined by merit and not by birth continues to the present day. Our own U.S. military promotes on that basis, for instance, as do virtually all other militaries. And while nepotism might remain an issue in some sectors, it has nevertheless become axiomatic that hard work pays off and that the best way to the top is through one's hardest effort.

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1. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "meritocracy," accessed January 14, 2016, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meritocracy
2. Paula L. W. Sabloff, Modern Mongolia: Reclaiming Genghis Khan (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001), 99-100.
3. Frank McLynn, "Mongols at the Gate," Military History, 32 (September 2015): 41.