from Verse One Hundred Seventy-SixThe governments of latter-day society have not stored up the necessities of life; they have diluted the purity of the world, destroyed the simplicity of the world, and made the people confused and hungry, turning clarity into murkiness. Life is volatile, and everyone is striving madly. Uprightness and trust have fallen apart, people have lost their essential nature; laws and justice are at odds, actions are contrary to what is beneficial.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
If Lao Tzu was penning these words today, no philosopher would bat an eye. What's amazing is that -- despite the fact this seems to define modern society -- the world the Taoist sage is describing took place thousands of years ago during China's Warring States period.
If the problems of antiquity regarding government so closely mirror the same problems we wrestle with today, maybe the problem is with government itself!! As a student of the political sciences, this is quite a difficult idea for me to contemplate, but that is precisely what I think Lao Tzu suggests.
I think it borders on utopian-like thinking to believe humankind will ever construct a perfect state. A perfect state is an impossibility if it's made up of imperfect people!! If none of us seems capable of reigning in our own desires and disharmony, why would we think our species could accomplish such in its collective form?
It seems that the more I read and ponder of the words and lessons of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, the more I seem to lean toward the concepts of libertarianism and humanitarian anarchism.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
If the problems of antiquity regarding government so closely mirror the same problems we wrestle with today, maybe the problem is with government itself!! As a student of the political sciences, this is quite a difficult idea for me to contemplate, but that is precisely what I think Lao Tzu suggests.
I think it borders on utopian-like thinking to believe humankind will ever construct a perfect state. A perfect state is an impossibility if it's made up of imperfect people!! If none of us seems capable of reigning in our own desires and disharmony, why would we think our species could accomplish such in its collective form?
It seems that the more I read and ponder of the words and lessons of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, the more I seem to lean toward the concepts of libertarianism and humanitarian anarchism.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Me too. libertarianism and anarchism that is.
ReplyDeleteRather than larger and larger states and unification of nations that is always the goal of leaders - My aim would be smaller and smaller groups, the smaller the better. One man and his teapot.
Land ownership seems to have been the start of the slippery slope and it is now such that one can not be free.
People say they are free but challenge them to take a day from their routine, just not show for work one day, they can't. We are free(ish) to choose what to have for lunch but most of our liberties do not extend much further. In the lives we lead we do not make free choices.
To choose to go and live in with nature - someone owns it! What a crazy world we have made! Someone owns all the land, I can't go there. The land came before the people, yet someone owns it. That crazy idea that we collectively uphold as concrete fact has far reaching implications to what you do, what you think, how you interact with others and even what you have for lunch today.
Well, you're going to LOVE the next post then. :)
ReplyDeletei consider myself a liberal libertarian. however, i would like to see a "tribal council" type of government using individual states, with very limited federal government. however in order for this to work america has to be a little less individualistic and elevate the family and community a little more- not to the detriment of the individual, but just enough to recognize the value in helping the community.
ReplyDeletehowever it seems that any government system would work if the people in power were (quite a bit) less corrupt. so, i don't really have much to do with politics, as it seems futile in a world where no one can be trusted to make fair laws, instead i'd start with changing the institutions that create politicians and educate the public... i'm more concerned with social change than political change.