Basis of Society Mencius
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History 8 China Review 100 Schools of Thought
Mencius's basic ideals dictate that men are naturally good. Mencius's ideals came as an expansion on Confucian ideals, and they were based on the concept of jen. Jen included the ideas of ren, being kind, li, doing your duty, yi, following modern customs and behaviors, and zhi, having wisdom. In addition to saying that men are naturally good, Mencius also stated that people have the obligation to revolt against the ruler if the ruler is not fair or not making good decisions. Also, by being unfair, the ruler could lose the "mandate of heaven."
Sources:
CF Manual P. 183
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mencius/
Lecture Notes: 4/25/13
--Jonathan Bloom
