Chapter 75

The people's hunger is due to the large amount of food taxes they pay, and thus they are hungry. The people are hard to govern because of the achievements of their superiors. The light death of the people is due to the generosity of the people living above them, and thus they die lightly. Only those who cannot be born as such are the virtuous and the noble. The people suffered from famine because the rulers consumed too much tax revenue, and thus the people fell into hunger. The reason why the people are difficult to govern is that the rulers have strict policies and like to take action, so the people are hard to govern. The reason why the people take their own lives is that the rulers, in order to support themselves, have plundered all the people's wealth and filth, so the people think that death is nothing. Only those who do not pursue the enjoyment of life are wiser than those who overly value their own lives. [Note] 1. To be proactive: A harsh political environment where the ruler acts recklessly and forcefully. 2. To survive by virtue of superiority: Due to the ruler's overly generous and extravagant support. 3. Do not be overly extravagant and generous in your daily life. 4. Xian: It means to surpass or exceed. 5. Valuing life: Nurturing life with great care. In the previous chapter, Laozi criticized the harsh political oppression and demanded that the rulers treat the people well. In this chapter, Laozi once again criticizes the heavy economic exploitation. In Chapters 72, 74, this chapter and 77 of the Tao Te Ching, the content is basically all about mercilessly exposing and sternly warning the rulers. He believes that a tolerant politics is far more sophisticated than a tyrannical one. Because once the people resist without fearing death and riot for survival, the rulers will have a hard time. [Commentary] In this chapter, Laozi reveals the contradiction and confrontation between the common people and the rulers. Politically speaking, the people's resistance is triggered by the harsh policies and heavy taxes of the rulers. This means that exploitation and high pressure are the most practical causes of political chaos. In the face of such a situation, the common people can only take desperate risks and show no fear of death. Mr. Zhang Songru said, "The text in this chapter is clear and explicit, and there is no need for interpretation." Some commentators, however, insist that this is to offer advice to the rulers and is a lie. Yes, "Only those who cannot be born are more virtuous than those who are more precious." It is indeed a statement conceived by the acting ruler. But if the common people engaged in production in ancient times did not pin their hopes on the so-called "sages" in their ideals, could they still play the role of independent protagonists on the complex and sharp stage of class struggle? The aforementioned commentators, here they claim that Laozi was advising the rulers, while in other places they say that Laozi was an opponent of the emerging feudal system and was irreconcilable. Isn't this kind of arbitrary evaluation self-contradictory? Therefore, Mr. Zhang Songru said, "This chapter reveals the essence of the class contradiction between the working people and the feudal rulers: the famine of the people is caused by the heavy taxes imposed by the rulers." The suicides of the people are the result of the rulers' insatiable amassing. This statement, of course, is in line with the idea of "non-action" that runs through the book of Laozi, but doesn't it also reflect the demands of the oppressed masses? Isn't it precisely the manifestation of the ideology of the broad peasant class, who are the main body of the people? (Laozi's Proofreading, Page 404