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Governing by Virtue

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State

Confucius on government: lead by laws and punishments, and people evade shamelessly; lead by virtue and ritual, and they develop shame and correct themselves.

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The ruler as wind, the people as grass—the Analects' image: character at the top bends conduct below, without force.

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This is political philosophy, not etiquette—an alternative theory of what makes order possible.

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