>You are correct though, that the normal process of government isn't
>very taoist. That doesn't mean that it cannot be, however.

Actually, it taoism seems to be most in accord with the libertarian concept of government. Here are some quotes from Lao Tsu's "Tao Te Ching". The first seem to accord with the libertarian notion of letting society develop naturally, without having the rulers act:

"Tao abides in non-action, Yet nothing is left undone. If kings and lords observed this, The ten thousand things would develop naturally."

This seems to be an expression of the concept of not trying to interfere in chaotic processes (such as the universe, or society), as is:

"Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it? I do not believe it can be done... If you try to change it, you will ruin it."

"The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering."

"I let go of all desire for the common good, and the good becomes as common as the grass."

This last might go along with the idea of not having the government strive for the common good, but having it arise naturally through the actions of individuals. And some pretty libertarian sentiments:

"The more laws and restrictions there are, The poorer people become... The more rules and regulations, The more thieves and robbers."

"Why are the people starving? Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes. Therefore the people are starving."

"Why are the people rebellious? Because the rulers interfere too much. Therefore they are rebellious.

Why do the people think so little of death? Because the rulers demand too much of life. Therefore the people take death lightly."

"Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them. Therefore the followers of Tao never use them... Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools. He uses them only when he has no choice. "

"When the country is ruled with a light hand The people are simple. When the country is ruled with severity, The people are cunning."

The following are from a quotes I saw in a book, they seem to be from a different translation since they are phrased differently, they seem to perhaps overlap with some of what I had above, but I didn't take time to be sure, there is some repetition in the book:

"Violence, even well-intentioned, invariably rebounds upon oneself."

"The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be ... Try to make people moral, and you lay the groundwork for vice."

"If you want to be a great leader, you must learn to follow the Tao. Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts and the world will govern itself."

"When man interferes with the Tao, the sky becomes filthy, the earth becomes depleted, the balance crumbles, creatures become extinct."

the poster also wrote:

>The Taoist term _wu wei_ applies here, and while it means
>literally, nonaction, it refers to abstaining from activity that is out of
>harmony with the ongoing processes. That is where the empty mind
>approach is applied. One first has to sit back so to speak, gather
>data, in order to see just what in the hell is going on. Then one can
>act in a manner that is in harmony.

In some ways I agree with you, however in other ways the philosophy is sort of saying that you can't fight reality an the universe, that you cannot possibly act in a way that is out of harmony with it. So you don't need to think in order to act in harmony with it. You need to think in order to avoid the strife that comes from desiring to do something that doesn't accord with reality, that isn't possible.The concept of wanting to accept the things you can't change, wishing to change only the things you possibly can. Though I suppose it also does imply thinking to avoid actions which can be performed, but through not being in harmony with the chaotic processes acting in the universe, will not work or will not have the desired effect. Such as using the government to attempt to interfere in certain complex, chaotic social processes.

It is interesting that some people seem to ignore these days, as you discuss, the fact that thinking and knowledge are used in addition to the "empty mind". The philosophy seems to be to use this "empty mind" approach, or "ignorance" (of anything but the mind), in the quote I use below, for letting your mind become aware, and accepting of reality (and not what we wish reality were), and then to also use knowledge. Some of the people I run across into eastern philosophy seem to disdain knowledge (economic, scientific, etc.), yet:

"Knowing ignorance is strength. Ignoring knowledge is sickness."