Conquering Chaos
310. A leader should observe the following three fundamental factors that can affect the stability of a country:Whether a minister’s moral conduct and his noble rank are compatible;Whether a minister’s contributions and the stipends he receives are compatible;Whether a minister’s ability and his post are compatible.These three fundamental factors constitute the root cause of a country’s stability or disorder.
Scroll 32: Guan Zi
311. There is certainly a reason why there is law and order or chaos in a country. When virtuous and able men are appointed to office, the country will be well governed, peaceful and stable. When treacherous and slanderous men are involved in government administration, disasters and upheavals will arise. Therefore, a ruler has to be extremely cautious when appointing government officials.
Scroll 48: Dian Yu
312. The original cause of chaos can be attributed to the king’s inability to differentiate good from evil and truth from falsehood. The recurrence of chaos can be attributed to the king’s fault in believing slanderous advice, resulting in innocent ministers being suppressed. The proliferation of disorder can be attributed to the king’s unwise reliance on unscrupulous people. Their clever talks could mislead the whole country, resulting in the escalation of turmoil going beyond control.
Scroll 3: Mao Shi
313. When a government is treacherous and the populace loses faith in them; when the fields are not well cultivated and harvest does not meet demands; when there is a hike in the prices of grains and people starve and freeze to death by the roadside—such are man-made disasters. When the code of laws of the government is not transparent and various implementations are ill-timed and agricultural production is left unmanaged—such are man-made disasters. When moral education is not widely promoted, promiscuity between men and women becomes rampant; parents and children do not trust each other; leaders and subordinates betray each other; and so internal turmoil and foreign invasion happen concurrently—such man-made disasters. With frequent occurrences of the above three situations, the country will no longer be peaceful and stable. The above principles may appear very simple but the disasters are catastrophic indeed!
Scroll 38: Sun Qing Zi