Meritocracy vs. Equity: The Declaration of Independence in Tension with Critical Race Theory and DEI

FAIN: FEJ-309417-25

Thomas K. Lindsay
Unaffiliated Independent Scholar (Austin, TX 78703-1933)

Research and writing of a book on the political theories behind the Declaration of Independence and Critical Race Theory.

I propose a research project under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Humanities to investigate a profound philosophical and practical conflict shaping our nation’s civic discourse: the Declaration of Independence’s call for meritocracy versus the equity-driven imperatives of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. This study seeks to illuminate the intellectual roots, historical implications, and contemporary stakes of this tension, offering a rigorous analysis grounded in primary texts and public policy outcomes.