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“will of the people” to be the principal source, content, and manifestation of
the “mandate of heaven.” They also considered it to be the fundamental principle
of a country’s governance, and thought that having or losing the will of the
people determined the rise or fall of a country and political power as well as the
developmentofstate affairs. It is thecoreofthe Chineseconcept of thepeopleas
the foundation of the state. All enlightened Chinese statesmen past and present
have regarded the “will of the people” to be the most important factor in
governance.

1.2 People Are the Foundation of the State (民惟邦本).

This term means that the people are the essence of the state or the foundation upon
which it stands. Only when people live and work in peace and contentment can the
state be peaceful and stable. This saying, which first appeared in the “Old Text”
version of The Book of History as an instruction by Yu the Great, can be traced to
Mencius’ (ca. 372 B.C.E.–289 B.C.E.) statement: “The essence of a state is the
people, next come the god of land and the god of grain (which stand for state
power), and the last the ruler,” and Xunzi’s (ca. 313 B.C.E.–238 B.C.E.) statement,
“Just as water can float a boat, so can water overturn it.” This idea gave rise to the
“people first” thought advocated by Confucianism.

1.3 Carry or Overturn the Boat/Make or Break (载舟覆舟)

Water can carry a boat, but can also overturn it. Here, water is compared to the
people, while the boat is compared to the ruler. The phrase, “carry or overturn the
boat,” reveals the importance of popular support: people are the critical force that
decides the future of a regime and a country. This is consistent with such political
doctrines as “people are the foundation of the state,” and “follow the mandate of
heaven and comply with the wishes of the people.” Since ancient times, this term
has served as a warning to the ruler, reminding him of the need to respect local
conditions and popular will, to govern the country for the people, and to anticipate
dangers in times of security.