Political Meritocracy in China
Daniel A. Bell · 2022
Abstract This chapter distinguishes between the ideal and the reality of political meritocracy in China and asks what’s necessary to reduce the gap between the two. The first section lays out the theoretical case for justifying political hierarchies between rulers and citizens in large-scale political communities (such as China) that do not use periodic elections to select rulers. The second section asks if it is possible to limit abuses of power in a political meritocracy, with a focus on the contemporary Chinese political context. I conclude that more democratic practices and values short of competitive elections at the top will be necessary to save the political system, though current trends point in the wrong direction.