The Analects: Ruling by Virtue

Confucius lived in a time of war, when small states fought one another and many rulers were cruel.For years he travelled from state to state, hoping that a ruler would let him put his ideas about good government into practice.

The Master said, “He who rules by virtue is like the North Star, which stays in its place while all the other stars turn towards it.”“If you lead the people with laws and keep them in order with punishments, they will try to avoid punishment but will have no sense of shame.If you lead them with virtue and keep them in order with good manners, they will have a sense of shame, and they will become good.”

Zigong asked about government. The Master said, “Enough food, enough weapons, and the trust of the people.”Zigong asked, “If one of the three had to be given up, which should go first?” “The weapons,” said the Master.“And if one of the other two had to be given up?” “Give up the food. Since ancient times all people have died, but if the people have no trust in their rulers, the state cannot stand.”

Duke Jing of Qi asked about government. Confucius replied, “Let the ruler be a ruler and the minister be a minister; let the father be a father and the son be a son.”A powerful minister, Ji Kangzi, asked, “What would you say to killing the wicked for the good of everyone else?”Confucius replied, “Sir, why use killing at all? If you truly want what is good, the people will be good.The character of a ruler is like the wind, and the character of the people is like the grass. When the wind blows over the grass, the grass must bend.”