'The China Model' has its merits: Daniel Bell, Canadian philosopher

"It would be absurd to advocate political meritocracy in Canada just as it's absurd to advocate Canadian-style democracy in China."- Daniel Bell

Today is a day to witness democracy in action and maybe even celebrate our democratic rights as voters lineup to cast their ballots in the federal election.

But Daniel Bell would remind you of a quip from the eminently quotable former British prime minister Winston Churchill.
He once observed that, quote, "Democracy is the worst form of government,  except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." 

Daniel Bell has been studying one of those other forms of government -- namely, the political meritocracy, as he calls it, that exists in China today. And he thinks the Chinese system of government holds some lessons for the rest of the world... and deserves a better hearing. 

"I still think it's a mistake to divide the political world between the 'good democracies' and the 'bad authoritarian regimes', and to lump up China with North Korea, Egypt, and so on."- Daniel Bell

Daniel Bell is a Canadian, born and raised in Montreal, but he's spent the past decade living in China, where he teaches political philosophy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He's also a Research Affiliate at Stanford University's Centre for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

Daniel Bell's new book is, "The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy." 

ideacity: Daniel Bell on a Vertical Model political system