In Confucius’s view, a good ruler and a good minister should do what are right for the people and be chosen in the right way. Ruler and ministers are at the top of the hierarchy. What they do affects the society and the people. It is very important for them to be good in order to achieve harmony in society.
The Ruler, who is the son of heaven, has absolute power over everyone in the country. His actions and policies will affect the lives of everyone. A good ruler should not abuse his power. A good ruler leads people by virtue and restrains them with ritual. The people will develop a sense of shame and a sense of participation. A good ruler is praised and supported by the people. He should not overwork the peasants; instead, he should give out tasks that are reasonable. The minister, who is a high government official, should not treat the people harshly. He should tolerate people’s actions, be generous to the poor and act fairly. Under the rule of a good ruler and good minister, the people should be happy and society should flourish and be peaceful. The world should be set to order.
Even though a ruler cannot be chosen by the public, the public still has the power to decide whether he is fit to rule. The public don’t have to follow a bad ruler. Under the rule of a good ruler, the people are happy and want to serve the ruler. A good minister should be chosen by knowledge of rites and music instead of being chosen by blood and royalty. A good understanding of knowledge of rites and music allows the minister to be resolute, sagacious and talented.
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