The merit system was established, in Italy as in many other countries, with the promise of introducing more efficiency, equality, and impartiality in the functioning of the state. It was also incorporated into the constitutional framework. However, the promises of the merit system have only been fulfilled to a small extent. The merit system gave way to the spoils system in public offices, undermining impartiality. Public competitions have partially realized formal equality among participants, forgetting substantive equality among citizens. New Public Management, introduced to complement the merit system, has backfired, converting into career progressions and stabilizations arranged in violation of open competition and thus to the detriment of efficiency.