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.
Note
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.
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”.
Further Reading
- Chapters 72 and 74: These three chapters together constitute a solemn warning to rulers. Chapter 72 admonishes rulers against oppressing the people. Chapter 74 points out that abusing punishments leads to a situation where “the people do not fear death.” Chapter 75 then further analyzes the root causes from economic and survival perspectives, indicating that the people’s famine and taking death lightly are both due to the rulers’ “heavy exactions in taxes” and “excessive pursuit of life.”
- Chapters 57 and 59: These chapters resonate with each other in terms of governance strategy. Chapter 57 proposes “I practice non-action, and the people transform themselves.” Chapter 59 emphasizes “In governing the people and serving Heaven, there is nothing like frugality,” advocating for restraining desires and accumulating virtue. These propositions are precisely the antidote to the harsh governance criticized in Chapter 75.
- Chapter 50: These two chapters are deeply aligned in their philosophy of valuing life. Chapter 50 explores the law of life regarding “coming into life and entering death,” pointing out that excessive nurturing of life can paradoxically lead more easily to death (“excessive pursuit of life”). The conclusion of Chapter 75 states, “It is only those who do not regard life as an end in itself who are wiser than those who value life dearly.” This emphasizes that not deliberately prizing life is the true way of valuing it, forming a direct echo of this idea.
- Chapter 77: These chapters together reflect the impartiality of the Way of Heaven. Chapter 77 proposes, “The Way of Heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the deficient,” criticizing the human way which “reduces the deficient to offer to the excessive.” This shares the same critical lineage as Chapter 75’s condemnation of rulers who plunder the people’s wealth (“reducing the deficient”), leading to their misery.
民之飢，以其上食稅之多，是以飢。民之難治，以其上之有為，是以難治。民之輕死，以其求生之厚，是以輕死。夫唯無以生為者，是賢於貴生。
Leave a Reply