Wen Tzu - Verse 79, Part I

from Verse Seventy-Nine

For the people to have a path that they travel in common and a norm that they observe in common, duty cannot stabilize them and authority cannot impel them, so they set up leaders to unify them. When leaders hold unity, there is order; without constancy, there is disorder.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

Lao Tzu lived in a time when democracy was not an option, yet I don't read this passage as being opposed to the democratic ideal. This ancient sage isn't stating a preference for the type of government he prefers; it's more that, whatever its form, continuity of virtue is what matters. And virtue, in the Taoist sense, is missing in the ruling style of every nation!

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.