Original Text
The people suffer from hunger because their rulers consume too much in taxes, thus the people are hungry. The people are difficult to govern because their rulers are meddlesome and act arbitrarily, thus the people are hard to rule. The people risk death to defy the law because their rulers drain all resources to sustain themselves, thus the people have no fear of death. Only those who do not pursue a life of indulgence surpass those who live in lavish excess.
Guide
The people suffer from hunger because their rulers levy too many taxes; the people are difficult to govern because their rulers issue too many decrees and act arbitrarily. Laozi condemns heavy economic exploitation and warns rulers not to be greedy and cruel to the people.Analysis
In this chapter, Laozi uses concrete examples to illustrate the benefits and importance of governing by non-action. Non-action is a great principle and method, which in specific application includes refraining from imposing heavy taxes, avoiding complicated decrees, and curbing one's desires. We know that rulers and the people are a pair of opposites. If the ruler prioritizes the people's interests, the people will live in abundance, the country will be peaceful and stable, and the ruler's position will be secure. Conversely, if the ruler does not prioritize the people's interests, only pursues personal comfort, and disregards the people's welfare, the people will resist the ruler's oppression at all costs. To stabilize their rule, rulers may resort to military force to suppress the people, and the country will gradually decline.
"The people starve because their rulers consume too much in taxes; that is why they starve." In this sentence, Laozi directly reveals the reason why the people suffer from hunger: the rulers levy excessive taxes, crushing the people until they can barely breathe, thus causing famine. The people endure starvation and live in unbearable misery, so it becomes only natural for them to rise up in rebellion.
"The people are difficult to govern because their rulers are too active, hence they are difficult to govern." Here, "govern" is a political concept referring to a harmonious state where everyone has their place, fulfills their desires, cooperates, lives peacefully, and avoids conflict. How to understand "difficult to govern"? For rulers, it means society is hard to keep harmonious and orderly; for the people, it means life is hard to sustain. When people's lives become unsustainable, they become displaced, take risks, and turn to resistance. Faced with such resistance, rulers will exhaust every means to respond.
This is what Laozi meant by "the ruler's action," where "action" refers to the ruler's arbitrary behavior, making it difficult for society to achieve harmony. The instability in people's lives is primarily caused by the ruler's willfulness and tyranny. Once the people become hard to govern, the state falls into disorder, and the ruler's position is threatened. Here, Laozi provides a detailed analysis of the situation where "the people are hard to govern" in simple and clear language, serving as a warning to rulers.
"The people are not afraid of death because their rulers seek to live too luxuriously, which is why they are not afraid of death." "Not afraid of death" means not fearing death, essentially not taking it seriously at all. In a negative sense, treating life and death lightly is a desperate act, which is tragic and destructive for both society and the world. In a positive sense, it is an act of fighting against evil forces. "Seeking to live" refers to activities that sustain life. "Seeking to live too luxuriously" has two meanings: one is placing great importance on meeting life's needs or maintaining one's own existence; the other is expending too much wealth to satisfy personal needs or sustain one's life. Life is extremely precious to everyone. If a person no longer values death, they will no longer fear it—this principle was already discussed in the previous chapter. Here, the author further analyzes the reason for "the people not fearing death," stating that if rulers overly focus on their own comfort and enjoyment, they will inevitably possess and consume vast material resources, leaving the people lacking food and clothing, unable to meet even basic needs. Faced with such injustice, the people can no longer bear it, so they risk their lives to take desperate actions.
"Only those who do not cling to life are wiser than those who value it." Here, "not clinging to life" negates both "overindulging in life" and "deliberate action." Through this negation, Laozi illustrates the qualities and conduct a wise ruler should possess. This sentence concludes the chapter, where Laozi points out the attitude toward life that rulers should uphold: only those who do not excessively nurture their own lives yet still take action are superior to those who cherish their lives.