This chapter exposes the consequences of rulers’ exploitation and reckless governance through three causal chains—”the people’s hunger,” “the people’s ungovernability,” and “the people’s disregard for death”—while proposing “governance through wu wei (non-action)” or “governance in aligning with the Dao” as the solution.
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors. It is through this that they suffer famine.
The people are difficult to govern because of the (excessive) agency of their superiors (in governing them). It is through this that they are difficult to govern.
The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their labours in seeking for the means of living. It is this which makes them think light of dying. Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether out of view is better than to set a high value on it.
Excessive taxation and Survival struggles
The direct cause of famine among the people is rulers’ excessive taxation. Laozi condemns rulers’ exploitation of the populace through oppressive taxes, leading to widespread starvation. When basic survival needs are unmet, social order inevitably collapses.
Reckless governance and Failed control
Rulers’ “complex decrees” and “forced interventions” —such as frequent wars and excessive interference in livelihoods—provoke rebellion. Laozi argues that the more rulers pursue fame or extravagant lifestyles through “action”, the more they disrupt natural governance.
Luxury and alienation of life and death
When rulers prioritize extravagant lifestyles by plundering public resources, the people are driven to desperation, even risking death to survive. This erodes the deterrent power of death threats, trapping society in the vicious cycle of “the people fearing death no more”.
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