简论中华文明民本民主优良传统

A Brief Discussion on the Fine Tradition of People-based Democracy in Chinese Civilization

先秦典籍表明,在源远流长的中华文明的光辉源头上,早已富有尊民为神、民主一切,以民为本、为政以德,顺天应人、仁者无敌的民本民主精神。民本是民主的实质与基础,乃成其必然的先导。民本民主的实际体现在于施仁政或曰实行德治,即施仁德于全体民众,与民同忧乐。而“天子不能以天下与人”原则,体现了公天下的民本民主精神,新天子必须应人顺天,获得全民拥戴。上古尧、舜、禹“禅让”,实际上是全民公决,纵然在尔后数千年间不进反退,但在中国式现代化的新时代的当今,理应将中华文明的民本民主优良传统,以最现代的实质与形式,予以大力弘扬。

The pre-Qin classics show that the glorious source of the long-standing Chinese civilization has long been rich in the spirit of people-based democracy,which respects the people as God and democracy as everything,which is people-based and governs with virtue,which conforms to both nature and people,and which is invincible to those who are benevolent.The people-based principle is the essence and foundation of democracy,and is its inevitable precursor.The actual embodiment of people-based democracy lies in the practice of benevolent governance,in other words,the practice of benevolence and virtue among all the people,sharing their sorrows and joys.The principle of"the emperor with no right to cede the world to others on his own initiative"embodies the spirit of people-based democracy in the world belonging to all the people,and the new emperor must be responsive to the people and obedient to heaven,so as to win the support of all the people.Even though the"abdication"of Yao,Shun and Yu in ancient times,which was in fact a popular referendum,was not progressive but rather retrogressive in the thousands of years that followed,it is only right that the fine tradition of democracy and people-based democracy of the Chinese civilization should be vigorously promoted in the most modern essence and form in the new era of Chinese modernization.