The idea among the Chinese that rulers must have high moral standards and care for the people date from the Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 256 BCE). The Chinese understood it as a “Mandate of Heaven”. This can be seen as a social contract between the people and their rulers that they would accept and support their rulers as long as they maintain their obligation to take care of the people. It also served as a caveat which says that if this obligation is neglected, then the people have every right to revolt and overthrow the ruler. For those who think that the Chinese people dutifully follow their government’s directives because they are under oppression by a totalitarian state, think again. It is quite obvious to the astute observer that in order to maintain its legitimacy to rule, the CPC sets itself ever higher objectives of delivering better economic outcomes for its people. In this sense, it competes with itself.

https://johnmenadue.com/east-is-east-and-west-is-west/