Western civilisation’s rise was built on open competition, individual agency, and a belief that rules should apply equally to all. These ideals drove technological revolutions, allowed bright minds to rise regardless of background, and created a culture of excellence. Yet the lesson from history is obvious. Wherever merit gives way to state-imposed quotas and bureaucracy, decline soon follows.

In countries that once set the global standard in research and innovation, the warning signs are unmistakable. Consider South Africa’s state-owned enterprises, once models of engineering and efficiency. Today, rigid demographic quotas, political interference, and bureaucratic hiring have undermined entities like Eskom and Transnet. Many technical experts and skilled managers have left in frustration.

Too often, they are replaced by appointees chosen for political loyalty or to fulfil demographic targets rather than for competence. The result is rolling blackouts, crumbling rail infrastructure, and lost economic opportunity.

Similar trends are visible in parts of Western Europe and North America. In the United States, numerous school districts and city administrations have experimented with quota-based hiring or admissions. New York City’s elite public schools, once a beacon of social mobility, now face lawsuits and declining standards as politicians tinker with admissions in pursuit of demographic equity.

Instead of encouraging excellence and hard work, these policies often prompt parents to opt out or push ambitious families to other regions entirely. The result is a flight of talent and a loss of trust in public institutions.

The economic and social costs are real. When promotion is linked to box-ticking rather than performance, the most capable individuals, regardless of their background, are demotivated or seek opportunities elsewhere. The bureaucracy grows larger as more officials are needed to track compliance, adjudicate disputes, and justify outcomes. Corruption and political favouritism thrive, as appointments and contracts are quietly routed to those with the right connections instead of those with the best skills or ideas. In extreme cases, as seen in some parastatals across Africa and South America, the decay becomes systemic, stifling entrepreneurship and making ordinary life harder for millions.

None of this is to argue against fair opportunity or practical efforts to widen access. But the right lessons must be learnt. Lasting upliftment and real progress come from protecting merit, property rights, and the open competition that allows all individuals to rise. Societies that abandon these principles risk stagnation, frustration, and decline.