Even the US military recognizes the problems inherent in entrenched, non-merit hierarchy. Back in my day, for example, the military enforced strict social segregation between enlisted people and the officer corps. Officers and enlisted people almost never socialized together and had to go to different clubs and establishments on base. The lowest ranking officer was immensely socially superior to the highest ranking enlisted person.

Following the model of the Israeli army, the first in the world to challenge this sort of organizational structure, the US military has begun to dismantle some non-merit hierarchy, finding that efficiency and retention are improving.

Hierarchy is still necessary in order for the job to get done, but promotions are supposed to be based on merit, and leadership is supposed to be based on ability.

And for whatever it’s worth, it looks like partial dismantling of the hierarchy has been very good for the institution.