Lao-tzu is one of the most famous philosopher and writer in Chinese history. Also, he was known as the father of Taoism, who wrote the philosophical document “Tao-te Ching”. According to Lao-tzu, the main theory of “Tao-te Ching” is “Tao”. The term “Tao” is not that easy to define which not only simply mean “the way” but also indicate the natural instincts of human and moral behavior. Basically, the key point that Lao-tzu wants to state out is to let people explore their own way of life because he believes that people can make themselves and the world better as they follow their “natural law”.
In another word, this means Lao-tzu believed in people are born with different kinds of skills and abilities that can help themselves to solve problems or be able to survive in this world. In addition, Lao-tzu believed that the world and the individual can govern itself, which mean people need a leader as a good model to them but they don’t need a leader who only know how to order them to do something for his own profit. As in today’s society, some people have claimed that if the American political system carefully applied Lao-tzu’s views, then it will benefit all American.
The main part of Lao-tzu’s views that some people wanted to put into practice are the following: “Therefore the Master says:/I let go of the law, / and people become honest. // let go of economics, / and people become prosperous. / I let go of religion, / and people became serene. /I let go of all desire for the common good, / and the good becomes common as grass” (Verse 57). Based on my own opinion, I think some of the Lao-tzu’s view already put into practice by American leaders.
Now, I will explain more about what extent American leaders follow these precepts and pull out some evidence to support my thoughts that they should follow these precepts or not. One of the Lao-tzu’s view that some people want the American political system to put into practice is “I let go of the law, / and people become honest” (Verse 57). Based on Lao-tzu’s view, this precept means if the leader is not a dictator who makes every decision based on his or her desires, then people will be honest to each other.
In today’s society, I think that American leaders had done a pretty great job of following this precept. For example, Americans have the right to vote for their favor state or city representative and the president in the country. Also, Americans have the right to make their own decision which to vote for passes or not passes the new law. I believed most people think that American leader should follow this precept which including me. The results of putting this precept into practice are that most people will feel happy about the law and people don’t feel leave behind by the leader.
Also, most people will like to follow the laws in this country because they are not forced to comply with those laws. Another of Lao-tzu’s view that some people want the American political system to into practice is “I let go of economics, / and people become prosperous” (Verse 57). According to this precept, Lao-tzu suggests that if the leader let the economy grow by itself without any interference, then all the people will have a better quality of living standard in the country. In United State, the president and the congress do not control the economy but the Federal Reserve System runs the economy.
Therefore, I think American leaders didn’t follow this precept because those leaders still take control of the US economy. The most important point is that those leaders in the Federal Reserve System make all the decisions in their own group without letting other people involve to the decision-making process. For example, as when they think it needs it to make any change to the U. S economy, they will use the monetary policy to promote maximum employment, control interest rate, and prevent the inflation and deflation which to keep the stable price of the U.
S market. I think they should not follow this precept because that way people will have to make some new laws to manage the financial system. Also, if people cannot handle all different types of problems of the economy, then they might decrease the quality of living standard of the country. People believed that if American leaders “let go of religion, / and people become serene” (Verse 57). In today’s society, American leader already put this precept into practice because no leader will force people to have the same religion belief as he or she does.
All the people have their freedom of choosing their own religion belief. For example, many different types of regions exist in the United States, such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Muslim, Buddhism, Catholicism, etc. People can practice their own religions and share with the other. People also respect other people’s religion and live peacefully with each other even though they don’t have the same background or religion. I think the leader should follow this precept because it helps the leader to manage other people more easily.
From each type of religion, people can find out more about each other and learn from each other, then the country will become more peaceful and more open mind. Some people think if American leader follows this precept, “I let go of all desire for the common good, / and the good becomes common as grass” (Verse 57), then it will benefit the people most. This precept suggests leaders stop thinking about their own desire because their desires can make other act like the same them. On the other hand, if leaders don’t have any desire for common good, then people will unsophisticated.
For most of the time, I think it is very difficult for a leader to get rid of his or her desires for the common good because I believed that not everybody can control their moral behavior, especially for the leader who has a lot of power. I think that leaders should follow this precept because it set as a good model for other people to imitate. In addition, a leader who can get rid of his or her desire for the common good, can save many other people’s life. In conclusion, Lao-tzu’s point of view to the result of his precepts are too idealization.
I think the results of putting Lao-tzu’s precepts into practice are not always nded up with a good result because those precepts are build up with human moral behavior. For example, if the leader can put those precepts into practice, but some other people don’t have “good” moral behavior then people cannot become honest, prosperous, and serene to each other. Even though the practice result of those precepts is not really successful in today’s society, I still think that American leaders should follow Lao-tzu’s precepts. I believe those precepts can help leaders become a good leader and influence people to keep up their “good” moral behavior.