Social Structure as Put Forth in the Daodejing

Social structure is man made which unfortunately makes it less natural. This was formed to keep peace between people though in the process it made humans less natural. Social structure is blamed for the inability of humans to return to nature because there are few opportunities to leave the confines of social life which now covers the majority of the world. As a race, humans are driven to have control over others and this is what makes it hard to leave society, society as a whole doesn’t want you to leave and return to nature. This is why the Daodejing is addressed to a ruler, partially so they can learn the practice of wuwei so that they will not hold social structure to be the primary structure to run the community. Through this practice a leader will be able to aid society in becoming more natural while finding a balance between his leadership and the community.

The Daodejing says that the best ruler is a shadowy presence (chapter 17). This is consistent with the Daoist philosophy of wuwei, or non action. When there is not action being performed it allows for other view to come into the situation and may lead to new opportunities. This is the way a leader must look at the concept of wuwei because it will allow him to have a broader perspective leading to a more naturally run community. The leader of a community works with the community in a yinyang type relationship with no clear boundaries between the leader and the community, each benefiting from the other and defining the other. This community without a clearly defined leader would act naturally and a leader would naturally appear in the community in certain situations and guide the community in that situation to keep a balance with the community working with the leader’s suggestions and a new leader arising when needed. This system of community and leader interaction follows the Daoist claim of wuwei, showing how a ruler should rule. When a ruler does not follow wuwei and act like a monarch there is no way that they can return to a natural state because this form of government is a human construct which is considered to not be natural though this is a very popular form of leadership though the world’s countries. When a community naturally appoints a leader each time one is needed it is considered natural. This is how it occurs in many pack animals in the wild, a leader coming about through competition so that the strongest in the packs’ current situation can guide the pack till a new leader is needed or comes about. It may not be the case that a community can be lead like this though this would be an ideal way for a leader to follow the principle of wuwei and yinyang while looking to bring the society back to a natural state.