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."
民为邦本
民为邦本出自《尚书·五子之歌》，原文是“民惟邦本，本固邦宁”，集中体现了中华文明“重民本”的传统思想。“邦”意为国家，“本”原指草木的根部。枝叶的生长与繁盛，要靠根部吸收养分，因此根部是草木欣欣向荣的保障。与此类似，国家的维系和绵延要靠民众的支持和拥护，因此民众（而非神灵或君主）才是国家政治的根本。
孟子提出“民贵君轻”，认为民众在政治上比政府或君主更为重要。唐太宗（599—649）把君主比喻为船，把百姓比喻为水，借水既能让船得以航行，也能把船打翻的事实，形象地说明民众既可以支撑君权的运行，也能够让君权陷入覆灭的深渊。中国古代政治还强调“惠民利民，安民富民”，认为保障民众基本物质生活、增进民众福祉、维护社会稳定是执政者的重要责任。
基于民本传统，中国共产党把“人民至上”作为根本立场，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，践行全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨，这正是对中华民本传统的发扬。
