Abstract
In Reshaping Confucianism: A Progressive Inquiry, Li contends that Confucianism contains valuable resources for a progressive conception of equality—proportional equality based on individual merit and moral desert. While acknowledging Li’s innovative attempt to reconcile Confucian hierarchy with democratic principles, this paper raises crucial questions regarding its interpretive validity, conceptual clarity, and theoretical consistency. First, Li’s central thesis relies on a reading of early Confucianism that overstates its egalitarian dimension. Second, in presenting proportional equality as compatible with democracy, Li collapses crucial distinctions between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome, resulting in a misplaced criticism of modern egalitarianism. Third, his simultaneous endorsement of universal suffrage and Confucian meritocracy exposes unresolved tensions in his theory between democratic inclusivity and hierarchical elitism. Nevertheless, Li’s work offers a significant contribution by bridging Confucian traditions with contemporary egalitarian discourse and invites renewed reflection on how classical philosophies can inform modern debates on justice, dignity, and political participation.