The Analects – Chapter 195 (8.9). Confucius on governance strategy and educational pragmatism

8.9
The Master said, “The common people can be made to follow it; they cannot be made to understand it.”

子曰：「民可使由之，不可使知之。」

Notes

This widely debated statement from the Analects is often interpreted literally as advocating “keeping the people ignorant,” yet multiple interpretive perspectives exist—some focus on “governance strategy,” others on “cognitive differences,” while contextual readings emphasize its “educational logic.”

Literal meaning: “The people may be made to follow a path, but not to understand why they should do so.”

A widely accepted interpretation suggests Confucius—considering the historical reality of limited public education during the Spring and Autumn period—proposed a pragmatic governance and educational strategy: first guide people toward beneficial actions to yield practical gains, then gradually enhance their understanding through education. The core principle is “action before understanding, progressive enlightenment” rather than deliberate obscurantism.

This approach respects cognitive differences while valuing practical implementation, balancing “action guidance” with “rationale dissemination.” Simultaneously, we must acknowledge its historical limitations. Modern governance emphasizes “public right to know” and “civic participation”—rulers should complement action guidance with transparent communication and education, enabling people to know, believe in, and implement policies, ultimately achieving modern governance goals of “shared governance and benefits.”

The Analects vs. Dao De Jing

Similar situations occur multiple times in the Tao Te Ching, leading many to believe that Laozi was anti-intellectual and advocated a policy of keeping the people ignorant.

• “For this reason, the sage’s governance empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their ambitions, strengthens their bones, and constantly keeps the people without knowledge or desire.” (Chapter 3)
• “Abolish sageliness, discard wisdom, and the people will benefit a hundredfold.” (Chapter 19)
• “The ancient masters of the Way did not enlighten the people; they sought to keep them simple. The people are difficult to govern because they have too much cunning. Therefore, governing by intelligence is the nation’s bane; not governing by intelligence is the nation’s blessing.” (Chapter 65)

Of course, in the face of such confusions, we must recognize the following points:

1. First, Laozi’s fundamental philosophical view is that “things reverse when they reach an extreme” and “going too far is as bad as not going far enough.” This helps us avoid extremism and encourages understanding and handling issues in a balanced manner.
2. Individual passages should be interpreted in light of the author’s life, historical context, and the overall content of the book, avoiding taking statements out of context.
3. Given that the text was written over two thousand years ago, many words and terms have changed in meaning over time.
4. A widely circulated work like the Tao Te Ching and The Analects is inevitably susceptible over two millennia to errors in copying, and even to deliberate alterations by rulers for their own political interests.