The Mys-TAO-rious Leader

"When the Master governs, the people

are hardly aware that he exists.

Next best is a leader who is loved.

Next, one who is feared.

The worst is one who is despised.

If you don't trust the people,

you make them untrustworthy.

The Master doesn't talk, he acts.

When his work is done,

the people say, "Amazing:

we did it, all by ourselves!" "

(Tao Te Ching, 17)

Let's clear things out: As for Lao Tzu, the highest leader is the one who is barely known by his/her people. Next to him/her is the leader who is then loved by his/her people. Then those who were dreaded, and lastly, despised or hated by their people. The questions there are, first, why is the one/leader who is barely known by his/her people, the highest 'one'? In looking at the general rule of a leader to have the needs of the/his/her people being addressed through his/her initiative, how can one, who is scarcely known, be the best to be considered in doing so? I mean, he/she is hardly known, how can he/she deliver out the needs of the people? And lastly, in the notion of transparency, which is also indeed an important factor that is shared between the leader and his/her people, how can one be visible in not showing up?

In answering the first question: what's with the leader that is barely known by his/her people and why is he/she considered to be the best? As for Lao Tzu, if the ruler would be involved in the lives of others, there would be problems. One major problem would be the idea that the people, instead of acknowledging and following the Way of Tao, they will instead see the leader; thank him/her, praise him/her, respect him/her, bring him/her food, etc. And indeed, that one is a grievous snag because it cancels out the Tao; its greatness and all, negating its rulings as the rulings of the universe. And instead, the people will just tend to rely and adhere to their leaders as if they are the one who are to rule in all that there is. And since the leaders are not to rule, but the Tao is, therefore it is not a good idea to make up a leader which is close to its people.

Now, how about the needs of the people being addressed, well the thing here is that, in respect to the Tao, even if the leader is far or near, the ruler will never be enough to deal with the needs of the people; only the Tao is. And now lastly, the idea of being 'visible' in not showing up, which is incorporated from the notion of Wu-wei. In this sense, the people knows that their best leader is always there, even though he/she is not visible. He/she doesn't need to show up, all he/she need to do is to justify his/her presence. Here, he/she needs just to be a ruler/leader, and typically not more than that. By just being a leader, he/she will be able to showcase his/her self, without a need for him/her to show his/her self off to his/her people.

Clearly, that's the thing with the highest leader; the one who is barely known by the people.

Reference: http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html#17