The Gospel of Meritocracy: Christian Nationalism, Economic Position, and Americans’ Beliefs About Getting Ahead in Life

What do Americans believe it takes to get ahead in life? We propose that viewing one’s nation as divinely favored and righteous in its foundations shapes one’s conception of our society as meritocratic, rewarding hard work rather than unearned privilege. Building on this idea, we theorize that “Christian nationalism,” a set of beliefs about America’s Christian foundations and the need to preserve those foundations, will incline Americans to endorse personal merit as essential for getting ahead and deny the importance of inherited or unfair advantage. We also theorize that this association will be stronger among higher earners as Christian nationalism sacralizes the social order from which they benefit. Data from two nationally representative surveys reveal Americans who affirm Christian nationalist views are more likely to stress the importance of hard work to getting ahead and deny the importance of luck, coming from wealth, knowing the right people, or one’s race or sex. Moreover, interactions affirm Christian nationalism’s association with meritocratic beliefs is particularly salient among middle- to higher-earning Americans. Findings suggest that beliefs about “getting ahead” are shaped in part by the intersection of religio-political ideology with economic position in a way that justifies privileges for those currently experiencing economic advantages.