Mencius paints human nature as fundamentally good—think of each person as a young sapling already brimming with the sprouts of compassion, righteousness, propriety and wisdom. From the very first stirrings of empathy at a playground scrape to the impulse to help strangers in need (as seen during recent pandemic mutual-aid efforts), these “four beginnings” lie dormant until they’re carefully nurtured. If kindness and moral sense are like seeds, proper education and a supportive environment act as the rain and sunshine. Neglect them, and those sprouts wither; tend them, and they flourish into benevolence and ethical judgment.

He likened a person deprived of moral cultivation to water diverted from its course: without guidance, the inherent goodness loses its way. That idea echoes today’s debates in psychology over nature versus nurture—modern studies on infants’ early fairness preferences seem to vindicate his view that an innate moral compass exists before culture even steps in. At the same time, Mencius stressed that societal structures and leadership must foster this potential. Just as a gardener prunes and waters, rulers and communities bear responsibility for shaping character, not merely enforcing law.

In an age where headlines often spotlight corruption and conflict, Mencius’ thesis serves as a reminder: beneath the noise, people possess an inborn inclination toward virtue. Cultivating that spark—through education, just policies and everyday acts of empathy—can turn the tide from cynicism to communal care, showing that goodness isn’t a drop in the bucket but the very wellspring of human flourishing.