1 Man is the subject of social history: social history is composed of man's practical activities, and everyone has participated in the creation of history to a certain extent, but the nature and size of man's role in historical development are different. Historical materialism, based on the basic viewpoint that social existence determines social consciousness and mode of production determines social development, emphasizes that social history is first of all the history of material production and the history created by the people.

People are the creators of social material wealth. As the undertaker of material production and the embodiment of social productive forces, the broad masses of working people have created people's necessary means of subsistence such as food, clothing, housing and transportation. Their production activities are the foundation of social existence and development. People engaged in material production and promoting the development of material production are the decisive forces to promote social and historical development.

People are the creators of social spiritual wealth, and their life and practice are the source of the formation and development of all spiritual wealth. People's practice provides the necessary material conditions for the creation of spiritual wealth. The people have also directly created rich social spiritual wealth.

The masses are the decisive force of social change: they are the main force of social change at any time. In a class society, changes in the relations of production and social system are realized through the mass revolution. The people constantly create and change social relations by promoting the development of productive forces, thus constantly promoting the progress and development of social history.