Synthesized answer
Mencius assumes that familial obligation and respect for authority are universally true principles. He states, "There never has been a benevolent man who neglected his parents" [1], implying that neglecting parents is contrary to benevolence. Similarly, he asserts, "There never has been a righteous man who made his sovereign an after consideration" [1], suggesting that a righteous person would inherently prioritize their sovereign. These claims underpin his argument for prioritizing benevolence and righteousness over profit by highlighting the inherent wrongness of actions that neglect these fundamental duties.
Mencius contrasts this with the pursuit of profit, which he believes leads to a chaotic scramble where "Superiors and inferiors will try to snatch this profit the one from the other, and the kingdom will be endangered" [2]. He posits that without a certain livelihood, people will not have a "fixed heart" and will engage in depravity [3]. Benevolent rulers, in contrast, ensure the people have sufficient resources to care for their parents and families [3]. This demonstrates that for Mencius, benevolence and righteousness are the foundations of a stable society and a ruler's…
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From the book
e kingdom of ten thousand chariots, the murderer of his sovereign shall be the chief of a family of a thousand chariots. In the kingdom of a thousand chariots, the murderer of his prince shall be the chief of a family of a hundred chariots. To have a thousand in ten thousand, and a hundred in a thousand, cannot be said not to be a large allotment, but if righteousness be put last, and profit be put first, they will not be satisfied without snatching all. 'There never has been a benevolent man who neglected his parents. There never has been a righteous man who made his sovereign an after…
← The Chinese Classics/Volume 2/The Works of Mencius The Chinese Classics/Volume 2/The Works of Mencius by Mencius , translated by James Legge Chapter 1 Chapter 2 → 410759 The Chinese Classics/Volume 2/The Works of Mencius — Chapter 1 James Legge Mencius Mencius went to see king Hûi of Liang. The king said, 'Venerable sir, since you have not counted it far to come here, a distance of a thousand lî, may I presume that you are provided with counsels to profit my kingdom?' Mencius replied, 'Why must your Majesty use that word "profit?" What I am provided with, are counsels to benevolence and…
Mencius replied, 'They are only men of education, who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart. As to the people, if they have not a certain livelihood, it follows that they will not have a fixed heart. And if they have not a fixed heart, there is nothing which they will not do, in the way of self-abandonment, of moral deflection, of depravity, and of wild license. When they thus have been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them;-- this is to entrap the people. How can such a thing as entrapping the people be done under the rule of a benevolent man? 21.…
Mencius replied, 'With a territory which is only a hundred lî square, it is possible to attain to the royal dignity. 3. 'If Your Majesty will indeed dispense a benevolent government to the people, being sparing in the use of punishments and fines, and making the taxes and levies light, so causing that the fields shall be ploughed deep, and the weeding of them be carefully attended to, and that the strong-bodied, during their days of leisure, shall cultivate their filial piety, fraternal respectfulness, sincerity, and truthfulness, serving thereby, at home, their fathers and elder brothers,…
← Chapter 6 The Chinese Classics/Volume 2/The Works of Mencius by Mencius , translated by James Legge Chapter 8 → 1488872 The Chinese Classics/Volume 2/The Works of Mencius James Legge Mencius Loving and protecting the people is the characteristic of royal government, and the sure path to the royal dignity. 1. The king Hsüan of Ch'î asked, saying, 'May I be informed by you of the transactions of Hwan of Ch'î, and Wan of Tsin?' 2. Mencius replied, 'There were none of the disciples of Chuncg-nî who spoke about the affairs of Hwan and WAn, and therefore they have not been transmitted to these…
More questions about this book
- If you were to explain Mencius's fundamental concern with King Hûi's use of "profit" to a modern leader, how would you articulate the precise chain of societal decay Mencius predicts, and what specific steps in this progression are most convincingly illustrated by his examples?
- A skeptic might argue that "profit," when managed ethically, is essential for a kingdom's prosperity and its ability to provide for its people. How might Mencius respond to this idea, distinguishing between different forms of "profit," or why might he believe that even well-intentioned pursuit of profit ultimately devolves into the self-interest and danger he describes?
- Consider a contemporary ethical dilemma in leadership or business where the pursuit of "profit" (broadly defined as gain or advantage) clashes with principles of "benevolence and righteousness." How would Mencius analyze this situation, and what specific advice would he offer, based on his dialogue with King Hûi?
- Mencius urges King Hûi to "also say, 'Benevolence and righteousness, and let these be your only themes.'" Beyond simply reciting these words, what tangible shifts in policy, leadership behavior, and citizen interaction would Mencius expect to see in a kingdom that truly adopted benevolence and righteousness as its exclusive guiding principles, and how would these differ from a kingdom focused on profit?