上下

While considering what kind of election we are heading, I come to realize the fundamental conflict between Confucianism and democracy.

No, don’t go that far. I am not saying Chinese should or should not have democracy. I am talking about the social structure that Confucius described.

The scenario is simple: In the ideal world of Kongzi (孔子), a country should be governed by a small group of elite (that is, educated scholars). Most of the citizens are, however, dumb and humble peasant. They have very little to say about their own country except paying tax and taking orders from the ruler. From the Han to the Qing Empire – and, in fact, in the late Republic of China (not the People’s) – our country remained a loyal follower, and the result has not always been catastrophic.

PS. The common misnomer of this system is the smart minority leading the clumsy majority (上智下愚), although this term actually has a very different meaning when it first appeared in The Analects (論語).