Original: It is based on the rule of saints, that is, hollowing out their hearts, strengthening their stomachs, weakening their wishes and strengthening their bones.
Therefore, the principles of governing the country by saints are: emptying people's hearts, filling their stomachs, weakening their desires and strengthening their physique. )
1、
We should pay attention to, Lao tze's order is:
Be modest in front of a solid abdomen and weak in front of a strong bone.
That is to say, Lao tze think:
Spiritual first, material second.
But what about the pipe? The order in Herdsmen is just the opposite:
In fact, the granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace.
That is to say, the tube thinks:
Material comes first, spirit comes second.
2、
Russell, the great British philosopher, had made unannounced visits to all parts of the world before writing the book The Road to Happiness. The results show that:
Those so-called rich people are not as happy as we thought, and some people are even worse than the poor.
So he regrets way:
If even the rich are unhappy, what's the point of making all the poor rich? ①
So Russell thinks:
Spiritual first, material second.
Sartre, a famous French philosopher, experienced two world wars and spent ten months in Nazi prison. So I said a famous saying contrary to Russell's point of view:
Children are starving, what's the point of literature? ②
So Sartre thought:
Material comes first, spirit comes second.
3、
I'm afraid it's hard to decide whether these two views are right or wrong. Because this involves a fundamental problem, that is:
What more evil things have human beings done to get rid of the pain of poverty or the boredom of wealth? Is the poor terrible? Or are people who are rich, powerful and bad-hearted more terrible?
Tube and Sartre tend to the former, while Laozi and Russell tend to the latter. In fact, both views can find loopholes and contrary evidence. Just like the question of chicken and egg, there must be no answer.
So, let's use Marshall, one of the greatest economists in modern Britain, to make a more round opening in the book Principles of Economics:
World history is constructed and formed by both religion and economy.
Isn't the so-called religion the spiritual strength of human beings? Isn't the so-called economy the "material power" of people? The two complement each other and cannot be separated to affect people.
4、
Ok, now let's get down to business. Why should we be modest, solid, weak and strong? Because:
(1) the empty heart is indisputable:
If everyone is open-minded, modest and vain, and thinks that they can't do it, will the loyal ministers and sages be excluded?
(2) The real belly is not stolen;
If everyone is well fed and hungry, will ordinary people become thieves?
(3) Weak will and no disorder:
If everyone is weak-willed, sticks to his duty and does not pursue unreasonable desires, the country will naturally be peaceful and peaceful.
(4) strong bones do not invade;
If everyone is strong and healthy and does not pamper himself, will the country be invaded by foreign enemies?
In particular, the last point of "strengthening its bones and muscles" is very important, which is the "martial spirit" on which a nation depends, but it is often ignored by the rulers. We can almost conclude that every time a region's civilization reaches a certain height, it will become weak and even vulnerable.
For example:
China's Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed by the brutal Jin Dynasty; The Southern Song Dynasty was destroyed by the barbaric Mongols; The civilized ancient Babylon was destroyed by the savage Assyrians; Egypt, an ancient civilization, was destroyed by the barbaric Romans; India, Persia and Greece, ancient civilizations, were invaded by barbarians several times and eventually declined and perished.
Why does civilization often end in failure whenever it encounters barbarism? In fact, there is a law of spiral development in the history of world civilization, that is:
In troubled times, martial arts is more important than literature, so it won the world; Prosperous times value literature over martial arts, so they lose the world. Throughout the ages, there has been a cycle of gains and losses.
China's Confucianism, in particular, is too rigid in etiquette and morality, and its legacy cannot be underestimated.
5、
Let's give an example. The most important dynasty in China's history was Dasong, especially the Northern Song Dynasty. The preferential treatment for scholar-officials is unprecedented. The founding emperor Zhao Kuangyin even made a family law for his descendants:
"Don't kill a scholar-bureaucrat and a letter! Violators will die! " ④
It means:
Don't kill intellectuals, don't kill people who write letters to protest! Violators will be cursed!
So if you have the opportunity to interview contemporary intellectuals, ask them which dynasty they want to cross most? They will definitely answer with one voice: Song Dynasty. It is precisely because of this that the Song Dynasty was most poisoned by the Confucian thought of "valuing literature over martial arts".
How do you say this? As we all know:
1005, in order to achieve peace, the Northern Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty concluded a famous alliance named Yuan.
In fact, the essence of alliance is to spend money to buy peace. The Northern Song Dynasty provided Liao with 300,000 yuan (about 302,000 silver) every year, but at that time, it was a very successful and cost-effective deal. Why? Because in the Northern Song Dynasty, the annual fiscal revenue was as high as 1 billion, that is,10.2 billion silver (5), and the compensation paid to Liao only accounted for 0.3% of the total national income, which was simply nine cents.
This is equivalent to your annual income of 6,543,800 yuan, and you only need to spend 300 yuan to pay the protection fee every year.
The most important thing is:
Trade between the two countries can be carried out from now on.
Of course, since it is business, the Han people naturally have an advantage.
At that time, the annual trade surplus of the Northern Song Dynasty with Liao was more than 402,000 ⑥, so the income was 6.5438+200,000 yuan, and at the same time it could save tens of millions of military expenses for years of wars. Even after the Zen Yuan Alliance was signed in 16 (654.38+002 1 year), the cultivated land area in the Northern Song Dynasty reached its peak-5.24 million. So, isn't it the best of both worlds?
In other words:
The signing of the alliance of monasteries is not only a shame for the country, but also a good thing for the country and the people.
But please wait a moment. Can this account be calculated like this?
Yes, purely from the perspective of economic interests, the signing of the alliance of single sources in the Northern Song Dynasty is indeed a sure bet. But what about the national spirit? I'm afraid it's not optimistic Although this Covenant has brought peace to the two countries for more than 100 years, the consequences are as follows:
In the Northern Song Dynasty, from the emperor to the bureaucrats, the whole country was more content with the status quo than before, emphasizing literature over martial arts, so that the armaments were abandoned, the court did not dare to fight, and the people were completely immersed in vain dreams.
Therefore, when the Xixia Kingdom invaded decades later, the Northern Song Dynasty did the same thing and continued to spend money to buy peace. A hundred years later, Jin Guo invaded, but it remained the same. As a result, not only did it not buy peace, but it stimulated the other side's greater ambition and led to a larger-scale aggression. Finally, the history of the Northern Song Dynasty was crushed by Jin Jun's fighters, and it was fixed forever in 1 127.
6、
Of course, I'm not saying that the Temple Alliance is completely worthless and has no positive significance. On the contrary, the Covenant itself is good for Song and Liao countries. The question is, what kind of attitude should we face?
If we reflect, the truth is:
It turns out that money can buy peace, and there is no need to develop military and military equipment from now on, so this is undoubtedly stealing peace;
If we learn a lesson:
In fact, spending money can only buy temporary stability, so it is more important to prepare for the war and enhance your hard power, so you are hiding your strength.
So the same thing has different attitudes and completely different meanings. In the final analysis, the sad attitude of stealing security is to only see material interests and ignore spiritual interests. Only know "solid belly", but ignore "modesty". The attitude of keeping a low profile is to have both, both civil and military, because a country can achieve greater peace and well-being only if it does not indulge in its immediate leisure and desires. This is what Sun Tzu's Art of War says:
"Although the world is safe, it will be dangerous to forget the war. ⑨"
This is what Lao Tzu said at the level of national ideology:
"Weak its ambition, strong its bones".
Therefore, the rule of saints must be both civil and military. If the country is a train, then civilization and force are two tracks, which cannot be neglected. If there is a problem with any track, the road ahead is worrying, and there is a danger of car damage and death at any time.
References:
1, Russell, the road to happiness? The first chapter "
2, "Sartre readme? Six? Life: Experience and Experience? 1 1? Facing a hungry child.
3. Marshall's economic principles? First introduction? Chapter one? The first section "
4. "Song history? Biography of Cao Xun and Three Dynasties North Alliance? Volume 98,? Are Lu You's Summer Vacation and Suggestions the years to be recorded? Volume four? 30. On the Song Dynasty of Wang Fuzhi? Volume one? Mao III,? Ding Chuanjing? A collection of anecdotes about poets? Volume one, (Song)? Lou focuses on Fan Zhongyan's Chronicle Three Years in Li Qing.
5. Ceng Gong's On Capital and History of Song Dynasty? Food "and" Miscellaneous Notes of the Ruling and Opposition since the Proposal "? Volume 14? A set? Wealth no.1
6. "Song history? 186? Food records? Common trade law
7. (Yuan) Ma Duanlin's General Examination of Literature? Volume four? Tianfu test "
8. Li Zhi's "A Mirror for Continuing Capital Management"? Volume one forgotten and fifty? Fu Bi's Twelve Strategies for Defending Hebei, Zhao Ruyu's Song and Chen Ming Memorial? 134? In May of the fourth year of Li Qing, I went to Hanqi with the Privy Council.
9. Sima Yi "Sima Fa? Hitoto
Author: Zi Xia Wolf, born after 90, the night is like ink, and the moonlight is like me. The third chapter of Cold Talk about Laozi (5) Laozi VS Hegel: China's political system is ahead of Europe 1800? Constant makes people ignorant and have no desire.
(It often makes the people coincidental and insatiable. )
If you let your husband know that you dare not do this, you will recover.
That smart people dare not do anything. Sages follow the principle of "inaction" and conform to nature, so the world will not be restless. )
1、
What is nothing to want? Many scholars interpret it as a dark and ignorant thought. In fact, this is unfair, at least in this chapter. In fact, Lao Tzu's so-called "ignorance without desire" means:
The promulgation and implementation of any government decree can not make the people feel that they have opportunities (that is, knowledge) and benefits (that is, desire).
Of course, the organic and favorable here are both illegitimate opportunities and interests. If the government's resource allocation is fair enough and the legal measures are perfect enough, the people will be in a state of ignorance and no desire.
2、
The so-called politics is to govern the country with integrity.
An official once asked Confucius, what is politics? Confucius replied, "Politicians are just!" " ①
Then what is right? It is right to be impartial, not to expect too much, not to disturb people's hearts, and not to stimulate people's arrogant desires. The so-called policy is actually a "positive policy". When the government's policy conforms to the three principles of "no Shang Xian", "good quality and low price" and "invisible, want", then in the words of Lao Tzu Xie of Su Zhe:
Although there are wise men, they are not clever.
Yes, even "smart people" don't cheat. Let's give an example:
In BC 154, in order to strengthen the control of the central government, Han Jing began to reduce the vassals, that is, to weaken the power of the princes. As a result, it didn't take long for the policy to land, and rebellions sprang up everywhere. This is the famous "Seven Kingdoms Rebellion" in the history of the Han Dynasty.
In the end, Han Jing was forced to kill Chao Cuo, who proposed the policy of "cutting vassals", to please the seven countries, but it didn't help. If a generation of valiant soldier Zhou Yafu had not been in command at that time and put down the rebellion quickly, I'm afraid the Seven-State Rebellion would have shaken or even ruined the foundation of the Han Dynasty.
It was an unwise decision for Emperor Jing of Han Dynasty to "order the princes to be beheaded" because it inspired the evil side of human nature. So how should we formulate policies?
3、
Decades later, after his son, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, succeeded to the throne, he also encountered the same problem of cutting vassals. However, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty learned a lesson, and instead of directly implementing the "order to cut the vassal", he used a very ingenious method to resolve the rebellious heart of the princes.
What can we do? It's simple. It's called a favor order.
Emperor Wu wrote a letter:
After the death of every vassal, the land can't be passed on only to the eldest son, but must be all enfeoffed to his son.
Yes, one son gets one, and ten sons get ten. I have to say that this policy is very clever! In this way, the vassal's territory will become smaller and smaller, and his power will become smaller and smaller. After two or three generations, he will lose his "wings" and cannot stand up at all. He can only obediently walk into the cage of central power. The most important thing is:
Princes can't rebel directly from the beginning.
Why? Because "pushing the favor" is not like "cutting the vassal", it offends the collective interests of the whole family of the vassal state, thus arousing resistance. The favor decree did not directly recover the land and power of the princes, but only gave other sons except the eldest son of the princes a legitimate reason to compete for "property."
The beauty of this policy is that the contradiction between the state and the vassals is invisibly passed on to Wang Sun.
Do you want to rebel? I'm sorry! Please ask your sons if they agree. You want to recruit secretly? I'm sorry! The first to report or even assassinate you will be your concubine and illegitimate child.
I'm sorry, the whole family is a mole. What's your reaction?
4、
That's right. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's favor decree fully conforms to the policy of "often making people ignorant and have no desire". Even if you are smart and sophisticated as a "vassal king", you dare not play tricks or cheat.
Therefore, as long as the policy is appropriate, some "smart people" dare not open up space and cannot speculate. Then the world will naturally be peaceful. So I would say:
"If you let your husband know that you dare not do it, you will die."
3、
It can be seen that "no desire, no desire" is not a stupid idea, but a higher latitude wisdom of governing the country. Hegel, a great German philosopher, was deceived by words because he read the second-hand translated Tao Te Ching, and later put forward a third-rate political thought:
All people should integrate themselves into the absolute will of the country and obey the absolute power of the country without desire. As a "sacred thing on the ground", it is a universal obligation to sacrifice for the country. Even if the monarch of the country makes a wrong decision, he does not have to bear any responsibility.
Then who will bear it? Of course, it is the people who make comments and the government members who participate in decision-making!
It must be said that Hegel may carry forward the past and become a great master in philosophy. But in the field of political thought, it can be said that it is very naive. If he is just naive, the problem is that he still thinks he is very talented. He once belittled:
China has no history, but a "stagnant empire" without progress.
However, it is such a "stagnant empire" in Hegel's eyes. More than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty knew that the monarch had done something wrong, so he had to put down his face and take responsibility, and had to issue an "imperial edict against himself" to convince officials, save the hearts of the people, and increase the credibility and cohesion of the whole country. Moreover, there are not a few monarchs who imitate Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, which can be said to have become a basic knowledge in China's political tradition.
As a result, the basic idea of Hegel's political science living in the19th century became:
In order to maintain dignity and authority, even if the monarch makes a wrong decision, he should not admit his mistakes and take responsibility.
This is really China's two-part allegorical saying:
Eyes on the soles of your feet-never seen the world!
In fact, the history of China seems to be a cycle of chaos control. In fact, each dynasty basically optimizes and perfects the system on the basis of the previous dynasty, so it can basically guarantee the cycle stability rate of a dynasty for 300 years, which is precisely the performance of the advanced national concept.
The reason why European history develops step by step in the order of slave society, feudal society and capitalist society is precisely because the national concept is too backward. Why? Because European monarchs can't control churches and nobles, they can't provide a rising channel for the bottom people like the imperial examination system, they can't stimulate the vitality of the whole country, and they can't stimulate the enthusiasm and creativity of the people. The consequences are:
The country will always be led by the aristocratic class, always follow the old rules, and there will never be a non-aristocratic civil service system, so there will never be qualified administrative efficiency.
It is precisely because of this that the history of dozens of European countries will fall into the "dark middle ages" for thousands of years. China, on the other hand, started from the county system in the Qin Dynasty, completely surpassed the feudal aristocratic system in political structure, possessed the core elements and basic rudiments of a modern country, and was ahead of Europe for more than 1800 years. Of course, Hegel knew nothing about this, so he told China what to do and made a series of remarks.
4、
Although Hegel's theory of state mainly inherited Aristotle and Rousseau in the west, it is hard to say that he was not influenced by the mistranslation of Tao Te Ching at the same time. One hundred years later, Hegel's political idea of "the state is the goal and the people are the means" finally came to fruition, which was widely used by Hitler and preached everywhere, thus packaging a Nazi classic speech:
"The responsibility of the state is to train young people into useful tools. ⑧"
Why? Conquer, invade and dominate the world, of course! Sacrifice for Hitler's glory and greatness! Because in Hitler's view:
The strong must rule the weak, and the weak should not complain, but should cooperate. The weak are not even worthy of reproductive rights and life rights, so he not only slaughtered 6 million Jews, but also slaughtered at least 200,000 "old, weak, sick and disabled" in Germany. Some scholars estimate that it was as high as 770,000. .
You see, it is also advocating "ignorance without desire". Hitler's solution was to reduce the people's IQ and thinking ability, while Lao Tzu's solution was to improve the wisdom and policy plan of the rulers. Hitler advocated "strong control", which was totalitarianism. Laozi advocates "governing by doing nothing", which is a kind of decentralization. These two concepts are at the same potential as fire and water.
Which is higher and which is lower, so I don't have to say the answer, do I?
End of chapter 3
References:
1, Analects of Confucius, Yan Yuan, XVII
2. Sima Qian's Historical Records? Yuan Ang Chao Cuo biography, Ban Gu Han Shu? Biography of Chao Cuo.
3. Historical Records? History of Han Ping Jin's Father Hou Chuan? Thirteen biographies of King Jing? Zhongshan Wang Jing Liu Sheng "
4. This passage is from Hegel's Principles of Philosophy of Right? Chapter III Country? Section 258, section 284, section 285, section 325, section 330 ",this is not Hegel's words.
5. Hegel's philosophy of history? First one? Rule number one? China ",(French) Alan? The Stagnant Empire of Fett, Perez-The Collision of Two Worlds: Part I? Chapter five, the stagnant empire-the collision of two worlds: part five? Chapter 70, Stagnant Empire-Collision of Two Worlds: Conclusion.
6. Francis? Fukuyama, Political Order and Political Decline? Part II: Chapter 25 "
7. For the evidence that Hegel is familiar with the Tao Te Ching, please refer to his book "Lecture Notes on the History of Philosophy"? Volume one? Oriental philosophy? Jia San? Taoism
8. Hitler is my struggle? The next two, the country. "
9. Wen Pei and Michael Burleigh. (1995). Nazi atrocities in Germany-1939 Nazi doctors began to physically destroy disabled people in China to sharpen their killing skills. College English (10), 20-25.
Qinchuan 10. (1993). The whole process of Hitler's elimination of the disabled. Military history (03), 19.
1 1, (America) Robert Jay Livton's Nazi Doctor? Chapter II "Euthanasia": Direct Medical Massacre
Author: Zi Xia Wolf, born after 90, the night is like ink, and the moonlight is like me.