Egalitarianism gives military power, meritocracy gives operational excellence

From Links to Consider, 3/14 by Arnold Kling.  

Erik Torenberg writes,

You need to speak a big game about egalitarianism to have popular support, but you need to be ruthlessly meritocratic in your organization to make sure you have great results. Without egalitarianism, a military won’t have popular support. Without meritocracy, a military won’t function. 

If you are sincerely meritocratic, you will have too many enemies. If you are sincerely egalitarian, then you will be a chump.