尚同(下)

What determines whether a state and its people are well-governed? When those above govern and understand the conditions of those below, there is order; when they do not understand the conditions of those below, there is chaos. How do we know this is so? When those above govern and understand the conditions of those below, they are clear about which people are good and which are not. If they are clear about which people are good and which are not, then they can find the good and reward them and find the violent and punish them. When good people are rewarded and violent people are punished, the state will certainly be well-governed.

Therefore the doctrine of conforming upward, when applied at the highest level to the Son of Heaven, can govern the realm; when applied at the middle level to the feudal lords, can govern their states; and when applied at the lowest level to heads of families, can govern their families. Thus when applied broadly it governs the realm without deficiency, and when applied narrowly it governs a single state or family without excess -- such is this Way. Therefore it is said: govern the states of the realm as if governing a single family; direct the people of the realm as if directing a single man.

Therefore Master Mozi said: 'In directing the people to conform upward, if one does not love the people urgently, the people cannot be directed. One must love them urgently and then direct them, establish trust and then sustain it, guide them forward with wealth and honor, and lead them from behind with clear punishments. If governance is conducted in this way, even those who do not wish to conform with me will find it impossible not to do so.'