| Opening and Debarring:...: |
Indeed, a king's principles represent one viewpoint, and those of a minister another. The principles each follows are different, but are one in both representing a fixed standard. Therefore, it is said: 'When the people are stupid, by knowledge one may rise to supremacy; when the world is wise, by force one may rise to supremacy.' That means that when people are stupid, there are plenty of strong men but not enough wise, and when the world is wise, there are plenty of clever men, but not enough strong. It is the nature of people, when they have no knowledge, to study; and when they have no strength, to submit. So when Shen-nong taught ploughing and attained supreme sway, the leadership was by means of his knowledge; when Tang and Wu made themselves strong and attacked the feudal lords, the subjugation was by means of their force. That is, in the case of uneducated people, when they possess no knowledge, they are anxious to learn; in the case of an educated society, not having force, it submits. Therefore, he who wishes to attain supreme sway by means of love, rejects punishments, and he who wishes to subjugate the feudal lords by means of force, relegates virtue to the background. |
