1. People-oriented doctrine and democracy are only superficially similar, and they are fundamentally different in substance. And they are fundamentally opposite. Traditional Chinese people-centered thinkers often emphasize "people-oriented" while also emphasizing "monarch". Therefore, in terms of their ideological essence, traditional Chinese people-oriented people are also monarchists.

2. The core connotation of people-centered thought is that "the people are the ruling basis of political power (the state, the monarch)", while the core meaning of democratic thought is "the people are the masters of the country (that is, ruled by the majority)" .

3. People-oriented thinking regards the people as the foundation of society, just like the foundation of a building. Rulers and monarchs are visible buildings built on this foundation. Buildings and foundations are not homogeneous. People-oriented thinking and Confucian scholars who advocate people-centered thinking have never objected to the dignity of rulers. Since they are noble, they must be qualified to be high above the people and enjoy certain privileges.

4. The idea of ??democracy is very different from the people-centered idea in this regard. Democracy emphasizes the equal rule of the majority. In democratic thinking, since the people are the rulers, they are one with the foundation, so they love themselves first, and of course they love the foundation equally. There is no order of precedence for each other. It is impossible for it to self-destruct or to overdo itself. carry.

5. In people-oriented thinking, although people-oriented thinking recognizes the basic status of the people, it does not recognize that the people are the rulers, and the people lack the necessary right to choose. Democratic thinking emphasizes the autonomy of the people. It does not believe that the people are just children who need to be managed. Under a democratic system, people enjoy more choices and decision-making rights.

Extended information:

1. The word "people's foundation" first came from "Song of the Five Sons" in Shangshu. The original sentence is: "The emperor has instructions, the people can be close, but not under. The people. Only the foundation of the state, the foundation is solid and the state is peaceful (but there is a dispute whether the original work was forged by later generations. If it was forged by later generations, it means that this idea is not that old). "The idea of ??people-centeredness was further developed by Mencius," he said. : "The people are the most valuable, the country is second, and the king is the least."

2. Xunzi put forward the eternal saying: "Water carries the boat, water overturns the boat." Although Confucian scholars have written many works on people-centered thought, there is only one central idea, that is, the people are the basis for the existence of the country and the basis for the ruler's rule.

3. The basic connotation of people-oriented thinking is undoubtedly correct. It is understandable that we use people-oriented thinking to sort out the historical context of Chinese civilization’s emphasis on people’s livelihood.

Reference materials: Baidu Encyclopedia: People-oriented Thought

Baidu Encyclopedia: Democratic Socialism