DEMOCRACY AND MERITOCRACY: A FALSE DICHOTOMY

In this article I refute the conceptual viability of "political meritocracy" and its application to mainland China. I begin with the methodological individualistic definition of "merit," arguing that electoral democracy based on one-person, one-voteisthe genuine form of meritocracy. I then respond to several challenges to electoral democracy and argues that they can-perhaps can only-be properly addressed by improving democracy itself. I further refute the proposition that China is a case for political meritocracy and argue that Singapore would not have been meritocratic but for its functioning (albeit defective) elections based on one-person, one-vote. I conclude with a call for contemporary neo-Confucians to develop political doctrines responsibly in order to make Confucianism relevant today.