In June former CASBS fellow (2003-4) and current CASBS Research Affiliate Daniel Bell published The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy (Princeton Univ. Press).
A timely and original work that is stirring interest and debate, the book looks at a political system that not only has had a long history in China, but could prove to be the most important political development of the twenty-first century.
In support of the book, Bell distilled his thinking in a piece he published in the Wall Street Journal article on October 2. He discussed his ideas and the comparative merits of different political models with a distinguished panel at the Asia Society in New York on October 15. The event was webcast live. Bell also has made live video appearances in support of his book on the CBC, PublicSquare.net, and at the World Affairs Council. In December he was interviewed by The Diplomat.
In November the Financial Times named The China Model as among the best books of 2015.
Bell is Chair Professor of the Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University in Beijing and director of the Berggruen Institute of Philosophy and Culture. His books include Spirit of Cities, China’s New Confucianism, Beyond Liberal Democracy, and East Meets West (all Princeton), and he is the editor of the Princeton-China Series.
Notably, Daniel Bell is also director of the newly-launched Philosophy and Culture Center at the Berggruen Institute. CASBS is home to five Berggruen Fellows in 2015-16 and hosted the Philosophy and Culture Center’s inaugural gathering in September 2015.