When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of.
When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of.
When a country is well governed, those with riches and honor earn it and have compassion for those who do not. When a country is ill governed, those in poverty and a mean condition bear the blame and and suffer the consequences of difficult times.
Steve
I’m reading in Dave’s passage that a healthy polity should be ashamed of itself for allowing poverty, and in unhealthy circumstances the wealthy and powerful elite should be ashamed of themselves for fucking things up so badly.
But that might be an expression of my own political biases. So what did you mean, Dave?
I stumbled across it reading the Analects of Confucius this afternoon as I sometimes do and it resonated with me. I took it to mean that in a well-governed country only those who were able but unwilling to work would be in poor and mean condition and that in an ill-governed country riches and honor accrue to those who have done little to deserve them. I’m still trying to decide whether we’re well-governed or ill-governed.
Is it possible to be both?