Hi, whether you get decisions on some policy, initiative or people as executives, you can vote on it directly (all members get decision, majority wins) or via representatives. Representatives are chosen via direct vote. Those representatives vote other representatives in higher level, etc. I consider it as much better system than when 300M people vote for one guy with enormous power.

I do not oppose advance of direct democracy on specific questions and I believe soon it will bloom thanks to blockchain technology. I just show the other sides of a coin. In Switzerland direct democracy on some topics get along with very decentralized governance scheme. Most of the power lies on cantons/municipalities, not federal government.

As of meritocracy in China, it's the opposite arbitrary. You have to prove the merit. Show proof of work (your track record in lower levels of public service), proof of stake (as a public representative you have given up privacy on your assets and assets of your family etc.).