Economic policy is a vital link in the socio-political structure Confucius advocated the concept of private property and wealth. He was strongly opposed to over taxation, exploitation and other similar governmental actions. According to Confucius, the most important obligation of the government is to enrich the people. It is recorded in the Analects “When the Master (Confucius) went to Wei, Jan Yu(冉有) drove for him. The Master said, ‘what a teeming population!’ Jan Yu said, ‘When the people have multiplied, what next should be done for them?’ ‘Enrich them !’‘When they are enriched, what next should be done for them’ ‘Instruct them!,’ (Analects, BK 3).

When one of Confucius’ disciples Jan Chiu(冉求) served the Chi family as their deputy and helped them exploit the people by raking in theTaxes, Confucius was so angry that he told his disciples to attack Jan Chiu openly to the beating of drums.(Analects BK. 11).

Another disciple Yu Juo in replying to Duke Ai about taxation, expressed Confucius’ own ideas very succinctly. ‘When the people enjoy plenty, why should the ruler worry about his insufficiency? When the people do not have enough, how could the ruler expect to have sufficient?” (Analects BK. 12).

This principle taken one step further is Confucius’ ideal that the head of a state or a noble family worries not about scarcity but about uneven distribution.” (Analects BK. 16). The rationale behind this view was the insistence that people are the most important consideration in political and economic thought. The idea of the people as the foundation of the state can also be found in the Book of Mencius, the Doctrine of the Mean and the Great Learning. As the orthodox view of the Confucian school, it has till the present day been accepted by the Chinese people as the criterion for deciding whether a government is good or bad, whether it will win the trust of the people, and whether it will be judged favorably by history.

Kung Te-Cheng, the 77th lineal descendent of Confucius.