Abstract: Deng Xiaoping's social governance thought in the early stage of reform and opening up views the party-government, the people's organization and the masses as governance subjects. Based on the principles of overall consideration, the downsizing of government and military institutions and attaching importance to talents, the idea of social governance aims at satisfying the needs of people's culture-education, labor employment and social security through democracy and the rule of law, social supervision and excellent governance experience from abroad, so as to achieve social development in stability and common prosperity for the people. This thought is of great value to China's construction of a community of social governance with Chinese characteristics in the new era, the formation of a people-centered social governance pattern, and the promotion of innovation and comprehensive application of social governance methods.