Is meritocracy a myth?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is meritocracy a myth?". Your opponent's style: Ricky Gervais

The People’s Republic of China should substantially reduce its international extraction of natural resources

You've swapped the actual debate topic. The real question is whether meritocracy is a myth, not resource extraction policy. But I'll engage your pivot strategically. China's resource extraction isn't a moral choice—it's a rational response to survival economics. You're asking a nation of 1.4 billion to voluntarily cripple its development because Western nations already industrialized. That's asking for unilateral disarmament. Unless you're arguing meritocracy applies to nations, this shifts blame without solving scarcity. Why should China accept permanent disadvantage when extraction drives genuine opportunity for its citizens? The real question: does merit matter when the system itself is rigged by geography and timing?