论民本与民主思想在中国的发展

On the Development from Regarding the People as the Foundation to Democracy in China

以民为本的民本思想是中国儒学传统的重要内容,是儒家士大夫以及一些君主在处理君与民的关系时提出的一种道德理想和治国措施。民主思想则源于西方,其实质是人民治理国家。民主与民本有共通之处,更有本质的不同。中国历史的曲折发展体现着民本与民主思想在其中实践的独特路径,考察这些思想及其实践对当前的政治文明建设具有重要的现实主义。

Regarding the people as the foundation is the important content of the Chinese confucianism,and is the moral ideal and the measure of running a state to the confucianists and some of the emperors. Democracy originates from the western world, and its essence is running the state by the people, Democracy and regarding the people as the foundation are similar and quite different. They were practiced in Chinese history and the experience is quite important.