The social order of merit

Academic palms, national police or tourism medals: France has about seventy decorations. The best known? The Legion of Honour, of course, which must distinguish the republican aristocracy. Censored to reflect its time, it symbolizes a system of privileges that it contributes to perpetuate by decorating more and more business leaders.

The discussion of luck and meritocracy is in vogue, although the key question remains: what do we do with the cards that give us our lives?