Huainanzi - Entry 35

Trey Smith

No one has ever heard of anyone who avoided breaking the law and risking punishment when both hungry and cold.
~ a passage from The Book of Leadership and Strategy by Thomas Cleary ~

While it would be too simplistic to suggest that crime occurs solely because of poverty, it does play a key role. When some people possess more than they could ever hope to consume and others don't have enough to maintain a bare subsistence level, coveting is bound to occur.

As I believe the Chinese Masters indicate, this kind of jealousy is natural. It is borne of each beings will to survive!!

This snippet also echoes a point made in Verse 4 of the TTC.

The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.

When a society emphasizes justice and equality, there are less problems. When the vast majority of people within a society have good jobs and enough to eat, they are more satisfied with their ordinary lives. They will turn their attention to education, the arts, community and leisure.

When the 1 percent controls so much and the 99 percent so little, unrest becomes the name of the game.

To read the introduction to this ongoing series, go here.