"The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the least."
— Mencius
The People Are The Most Important
The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the least.
About this quote
Found in Mengzi 7B:14, this is one of the most celebrated statements in Confucian political philosophy. The original Chinese — 民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕 — places the people above the sacred altars of land and grain, and above the ruler himself. Mencius was a follower of Confucius and extended his teacher's ethics into a bold theory of governance: a ruler who neglects the people forfeits the Mandate of Heaven and may legitimately be deposed. The principle is known as Mínběn (民本), "the people as the foundation."
Source
Mencius, Book 7B