Functionalists' view of meritocracy: In a meritocratic society, access to jobs and wealth depends mainly on educational qualifications, skills and talents.

• A. Education has no role in social mobility.
• B. Education determines jobs randomly.
• C. Education prevents people from achieving high positions.
• D. Educational qualifications, skills and talents determine access.

Answer: (D)

In functionalist thinking, meritocracy means positions in society are allocated based on ability, effort and achievement, with education acting as the main mechanism that sorts people into appropriate roles. The statement that access to jobs and wealth depends mainly on educational qualifications, skills and talents fits this view perfectly, because it emphasizes that what you can do and what you’ve earned through education determines what positions you attain.

This is the best fit because it mirrors the idea that education provides credentials and evidence of merit, allowing the most capable individuals to rise to higher-status roles and wealth, which keeps society functioning smoothly by matching jobs to abilities. The other options clash with this perspective: saying education has no role denies the sorting function; suggesting jobs are determined randomly contradicts the merit-based logic; and claiming education prevents high access contradicts the meritocratic claim that education enables advancement.