The Master said, “To send the people into battle without first instructing them is to abandon them.”
Note
Though brief, this statement from The Analects of Confucius powerfully conveys Confucianism’s profound ethical stance on war, governance, and the value of human life.
- The term “instructing”here encompasses not only military training but also moral education, ritual propriety, and cultivation of civic loyalty. Confucius believed that uneducated people thrust into war lack both combat effectiveness and a sense of righteous purpose, making them prone to defeat or brutality.
- The phrase “to abandon them”carries grave moral weight—it does not merely mean “misusing” them, but utterly forsaking their well-being. This shows that Confucius placed the people’s lives and dignity above strategic or political expediency. A ruler who sends citizens to die without first fulfilling his duty to educate them acts irresponsibly, even cruelly.
This teaching directly complements Analects 13.29: “If a good person instructs the people for seven years, they will be ready to take up arms.” Together, they form the Confucian principle of “teach first, then fight”—true national defense rests on moral consensus, public trust, and long-term cultivation, not mere force or numbers. It also embodies the core of Confucian “benevolent governance” (ren zheng): the state must nurture and educate the people before calling upon them to serve.
Further Reading
The Master said, “If a good person instructs the people for seven years, they will be ready to take up arms.” Analects 13.29 (Zi Lu)
Directly complementary—emphasizes that proper moral and practical instruction is a prerequisite for military service.
子曰：「以不教民戰，是謂棄之。」
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