What makes a good ruling party in the eyes of the Chinese people

BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An interview with Wang Xiaohui, editor-in-chief of China.org.cn, on the traditional Chinese "people-centered philosophy" and China's political civilization:

In Chinese culture, I believe that "family culture" is a crucial and distinctive component. It's not just about the emotional connection between family members in a narrow sense. Instead, its meaning can be extended to the political sphere.

You can see it in the Chinese language. For example, the word "country" in Chinese is "guojia," consisting of two characters which literally translate as "country" and "family." In addition, we often say that China's 56 ethnic groups form a "big Chinese family" and the Chinese people in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are a "family who love each other."

We value the concept of family because China has a long history of agriculture. In ancient times, farming activities were based on the biological family as a unit. People with the same family name made up a clan, and then, clans made up society, and then the country.

In ancient Chinese history, there is a vivid metaphor that compares the "ruler" to a "boat" and the "people" to "water." "Water can carry a boat, but can also overturn it." This quote comes from the Chinese philosopher Xunzi and was often quoted by Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty who used it to warn officials.

This is the traditional Chinese "people-centered philosophy." Chinese ancestors realized as early as 3,000 years ago that the people are the foundation of the country. Those who govern must prioritize people's well-being and value all members of the "big family," otherwise they will be overthrown by the people. It emphasizes the virtue and responsibility of those in power.

Due to the long history of agrarian civilization in China and with Confucianism as the mainstream guiding philosophy in various dynasties since the grand unification in the Qin and Han dynasties, China's people-centered thinking has been systematically passed down and emphasized for thousands of years. The people-centered thinking and the cultural concept of "integrating family and country" have become a highly unique part of China's political civilization.

In explaining this, my hope is to show you some of the cultural basis behind China's political landscape.

It has been more than 100 years since the CPC was founded, and over 70 years since the Party came to power. But we Chinese are unlikely to view the Party only from the perspective of its own history. The CPC did not emerge from thin air, but rather took shape on the basis of the Chinese civilization which extends back 5,000 years. Socialism with Chinese characteristics itself embodies the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization.

A governing party should serve all the people and improve the well-being of the "big Chinese family," without attempting to further its own private interests or those of certain groups. This is what the Chinese people expect from those at the helm of the state.

The CPC continues to this day to draw wisdom from the traditional people-centered philosophy. However, the CPC believes in Marxism. As we said in the last episode, Marxism holds that the people are the creators of history and the major force behind social development. Such an understanding of the world and history goes far beyond traditional thinking: The CPC does not govern to rule the people; according to its philosophy, the interests of the people must ultimately be achieved through the efforts of the people themselves. The Party must always maintain close ties with the people and ensure that development depends on the people and its fruits are shared by the people.

The CPC has reiterated its commitment to building itself for the public good and exercising power for the people, stating that it has no special interests of its own and that all its efforts are for the fundamental interests of all Chinese people. This is by no means "communist rhetoric."

"The rise or fall of a political power depends on whether it accommodates the people's will." But what is "the people's will"? And what are the "overall interests" in the eyes of the Chinese people? We will continue the discussion next time.

SOURCE China.org.cn