Offering the first in-depth analysis of the relationship between populism and political meritocracy, this book asks why states with meritocratic systems such as Singapore and China have not faced the populist challenge to the extent that liberal democratic states have. Is political meritocracy immune to populism? Or does it fan its flames?

Mark Chou is Associate Professor of Politics at the National School of Arts, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.

Benjamin Moffitt is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the National School of Arts, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.

Octavia Bryant is a Doctoral Candidate in Politics at the National School of Arts, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.

Introduction Chapter 1: Political Meritocracy and Populism Chapter 2: Populism's Cure? Chapter 3: The Populist Teleology of Meritocracy Conclusion