Analects 12.9 · Yan Yuan
“If the people have enough, how could their ruler lack? If the people do not have enough, how could their ruler have enough?”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
百姓足 君孰與不足 百姓不足 君孰與足 (bǎi xìng zú, jūn shú yǔ bù zú, bǎi xìng bù zú, jūn shú yǔ zú) means “If the people have enough, how could their ruler lack? If the people do not have enough, how could their ruler have enough?” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 9.
百姓足 君孰與不足 百姓不足 君孰與足
- Pinyin
- bǎi xìng zú, jūn shú yǔ bù zú, bǎi xìng bù zú, jūn shú yǔ zú
- Translation
- If the people have enough, how could their ruler lack? If the people do not have enough, how could their ruler have enough?
- Source
- Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 9
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Yan Yuan chapter, Confucius's disciple You Ruo addresses Duke Ai. If the people have enough, he says, the ruler will also have enough; if the people lack, the ruler will lack as well. This expresses the Confucian economic idea that people's livelihoods are the foundation of the state. Advocating the chè system, a tithe of one-tenth, You Ruo explains that lowering taxes to enrich the people will naturally make the state prosperous too.
How can we apply it today?
The heart of economic policy is enriching the lives of the people. The same principle applies to a company: when employees flourish, the company grows. A business that cuts employee welfare to increase short-term profit ultimately loses talent, while a state that taxes citizens excessively contracts its economy. You Ruo stated this simple truth—that the whole prospers only when its members prosper—twenty-five centuries ago.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Does my organization work for the prosperity of its members?
- ·What do I choose when the interests of the whole and those of individuals conflict?
- ·Have I considered what it means for everyone to flourish together?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 百 | bǎi | one hundred | 6 | 白 (white) |
| 姓 | xìng | surname | 8 | 女 (woman) |
| 足 | zú | foot; sufficient | 7 | 足 (foot) |
| 君 | jūn | ruler | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 孰 | shú | who | 11 | 子 (child) |
| 與 | yǔ | together with | 14 | 臼 (mortar) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 足 | zú | foot; sufficient | 7 | 足 (foot) |
| 百 | bǎi | one hundred | 6 | 白 (white) |
| 姓 | xìng | surname | 8 | 女 (woman) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 足 | zú | foot; sufficient | 7 | 足 (foot) |
| 君 | jūn | ruler | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 孰 | shú | who | 11 | 子 (child) |
| 與 | yǔ | together with | 14 | 臼 (mortar) |
| 足 | zú | foot; sufficient | 7 | 足 (foot) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “If the people have enough, how could their…” mean?
百姓足 君孰與不足 百姓不足 君孰與足 (bǎi xìng zú, jūn shú yǔ bù zú, bǎi xìng bù zú, jūn shú yǔ zú) means “If the people have enough, how could their ruler lack? If the people do not have enough, how could their ruler have enough?” It comes from the Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 9.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 12.9: Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 9.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
The heart of economic policy is enriching the lives of the people.The same principle applies to a company: when employees flourish, the company grows.