Meritocracy Over Aristocracy

Proverbs 17:2
A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

The divine right of monarchs was a theory that people were born into their station in life and would remain in that station whether or not they were worthy of their position. It led to a type of determinism that convinced people that they could do nothing to improve their lot in life. I can even see in my own Hispanic upbringing that we had a particular pecking order, the elder ruled over the younger. We grew up in an aristocratic model rather than meritocracy that reward people according to their character and competence.
 
The writer of the Proverbs cautions against such a view. A person's character and integrity will cause them to rise or fall. In the Rule of Saint Benedict, even the youngest member could be elected the leader if the merit of his life and the wisdom of his doctrine were above reproach.
 
        But let him who is to be elected be chosen for the merit of his life
        and the wisdom of his doctrine, though he be the last in the
        community.