People as the Foundation of the State

The original text of Min Wei Bang Ben first appeared in the Book of History (Shang Shu). "The people are the roots of the state," it reads. "Only if the roots hold firm can the state be stable." Ben refers to the roots of grass and trees. The growth and prosperity of the state are compared to branches and leaves which depend on nutrients absorbed through the roots. A sound root system guarantees a thriving plant. Similarly, the support of the people is essential for a state to stand firm and a regime to persist. It designated people, rather than gods or monarchs, as the foundation of a nation's politics.

Mencius declared that "people outweigh the monarch" while illustrating why people are more important politically than the government or monarch. Emperor Taizong of Tang (599-649) compared the monarch to a boat and the people to water. Water can float a boat, but it can also overturn and ruin it. Ancient Chinese politicians also stressed the need to "let people receive benefits, feel safe, and be better off." Protecting the people's livelihood and wellbeing and maintaining social stability were seen as the principal responsibility of rulers.

The Communist Party of China has staunchly embraced a fundamental position of "people first," anchored its development philosophy to the people, and delivered on its fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly in the spirit of the traditional notion of "putting people first."

民為邦本

民為邦本出自《尚書·五子之歌》，原文是“民惟邦本，本固邦寧”，集中體現了中華文明“重民本”的傳統思想。“邦”意為國家，“本”原指草木的根部。枝葉的生長與繁盛，要靠根部吸收養分，因此根部是草木欣欣向榮的保障。與此類似，國家的維系和綿延要靠民眾的支持和擁護，因此民眾（而非神靈或君主）才是國家政治的根本。

孟子提出“民貴君輕”，認為民眾在政治上比政府或君主更為重要。唐太宗（599—649）把君主比喻為船，把百姓比喻為水，借水既能讓船得以航行，也能把船打翻的事實，形象地說明民眾既可以支撐君權的運行，也能夠讓君權陷入覆滅的深淵。中國古代政治還強調“惠民利民，安民富民”，認為保障民眾基本物質生活、增進民眾福祉、維護社會穩定是執政者的重要責任。

基于民本傳統，中國共產黨把“人民至上”作為根本立場，堅持以人民為中心的發展思想，踐行全心全意為人民服務的根本宗旨，這正是對中華民本傳統的發揚。