Title: The Origins of People’s Democracy: The Evolution of Concepts and Theoretical Development

Speaker: Professor Wang Shaoguang

Time: May 12th, 2026

Venue: C110, School of Management

In his lecture entitled ‘The Origins of People’s Democracy: The Evolution of Concepts and Theoretical Development’, Professor Wang Shaoguang began by explaining what motivated his research into this topic. He pointed out that the term ‘democracy’, which we take for granted today, did not exist in ancient China, but has undergone a long process of translation, debate and evolution. Professor Wang then conducted a systematic analysis from three dimensions: the history of translation, the history of concepts and the history of theory. He highlighted that the primary force driving the establishment of the concept of democracy in China was not liberal scholars, but rather a group of progressive scholars influenced by Marxism. Building on this, Professor Wang broadened his perspective to a comparison of political thought between China and the West, emphasising that the Communist Party of China has continuously adjusted its definition of ‘the people’ in practice.

Speaker’s Profile: Wang Shaoguang, renowned political scientist and Professor Emeritus at The Chinese University of Hong Kong