Daniel Bell on a Vertical Model political system
Daniel Bell, Professor of Ethics and Political Philosophy, teaches political theory in Beijing. In this slyly witty talk he challenges our political intuitions and debates what would be a desirable political model, based on the assumptions that democracy and political meritocracy are good things. He discusses the problems inherent with just leaving things with voters, who may or not be educated, understand the common good, or be able to put aside their short-term interests. He describes the Vertical Model with meritocratically-chosen officials at the top and democratically-elected politicians underneath, which is flexible and has “lots of room for experimentation in between.” He says this is “more or less” the model that has inspired political change in China since the 1990s. But, there are some flaws. Watch and find out what they are.
Daniel A. Bell (贝淡宁) 
Prof. Daniel A. Bell,
As a Chinese Consul in Chinese Consulate in San Francisco, I am pleased to know your new book “The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy” will be published July, 2015. I was a student of Prof. Yan Xuetong about 20 years ago, and I am happy to know you are now a colleague of him at Tsinghua.
From the introduction, I can see your book features a western scholar’s point of view on China political development. Your teaching in Beijing, China will provide a deeper field research and understanding of the China model than other western scholars.
Coincidentally, Stanford University scholar Francis Fukuyama published his new book”Political Order and Political Decay” 2 months ago and I had the opportunity to listen to his speech in San Francisco.
His book explores the shortcomings of U.S. current political system-bipartisan quarrel, governmental disability, slow decision making. He advocates that a successful political system needs three factors: effective governance, rule of law and democracy. Without good nation-building, democracy will be premature, sometimes leads to a mess in some countries like Egypt, Libya and African country.
The world is diversified with 200-plus nations, both the China model or U.S.model can learn and accommodate each other than prejudice or blame each other. I believe your book will inspire people to understand more the political system co-existence in today’s world.
Again, I applaud your book and wish it a great academic and profit success.
Alex Wang
Consul for Press and Public Diplomacy
Chinese Consulate in San Francisco
Posted by Alex Wang | December 5, 2014, 2:01 PM