Leadership is important from the national all the way down to the local level and is major a theme throughout the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching).
Yielding
Nations should abide by the Dao. Laozi (Lao Tzu) taught that nations should be willing to yield to one another.
“A great country is like the lower outlet of a river.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 61
Larger nations should not dominate smaller ones, because this leads to push back and conflict. Large nations should be willing to yield and accommodate smaller ones to create a positive and long lasting relationship.
“If a great country yields to a small country, it will conqueror the small country. If a small country yields to a great country, it will be conquered by the great country. So, some who yield become conquerors, and some who yield get conquered.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 61
Force
The government should resist using force to avoid the inevitable backlash and retaliation.
“Those who advice the ruler on the Way, do not want the world subdued with weapons. Such deeds bring on retaliation. Thorn bushes grow where armies have camped. Battles are followed by years of famine.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 30
In this way, the nation can press without force, take without effort, and push without opposing. One should never underestimate the amount of pushback to the use of force.
“I dare not advance an inch, but would rather retreat a foot. This is called marching without marching, grabbing without arms, charging without enemy, seizing without weapons. No misfortune is worse than underestimating the enemy. Underestimating the enemy, I risk losing my treasure.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 69
Wu Wei
The concept of Wu Wei or “effortless action,” applies to government. Sometimes called non-action, a nation should act only when it feels natural.
“Use justice to rule a country. Use surprise to wage war. Use non-action to govern the world.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 57
The government should take action only when necessary and then go no further.
“Therefore, good leaders reach solutions, and then stop. They do not rely on force.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 30
Power
Leaders should never seek power in order to control society. If they do, they are not fit to lead.
“Never take over the world to tamper with it. Those who want to tamper with it are not fit to take over the world.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 48
A leader should never boast to gain popularity or use violence to attain power.
“The more sharp the weapons people have in a country, the bigger the disorder will be. The more clever and cunning people are, the stranger the events will be.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 57
The leader hesitates to support laws that restrict others. These types of laws will create resentment and law breaking.
“As for the world, the more restrictions and prohibitions there are, the poorer the people will be.“
“The more laws and commands there are, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 57
Conclusion
Larger nations should yield to smaller ones to avoid retaliation and promote neighborly coexistence. Governments should resist employing force and act only when absolutely necessary. Leaders should not seek power, control, or use violence. The leader hesitates to support any laws that restricts others.
“Therefore the sage says: I do not act, and people become reformed by themselves. I am at peace, and people become fair by themselves. I do not interfere, and people become rich by themselves. I have no desire to desire, and people become like the uncarved wood by themselves.”
Dao De Jing, Chapter 57
Daoism 