Confucius: the sage who triumphed through failure
For all his doubts about the competence of the ruling elite, Confucius harbored no such reservations about his own ability to govern effectively. In Chapter 10 of Book 13 of the Analects, he confidently declares:
“If a ruler were to employ me, I would have everything under control in one year and in three years the results would show.”
子曰：「苟有用我者，期月而已可也，三年有成。」
Confucius is believed to have made this assertion while he was in the state of Wei looking to secure a position with the court after his abrupt departure from his home state of Lu in 497 BCE. His confidence likely stemmed from his successful tenure as the chief magistrate of the small city of Zhongdu in 502 BCE, where he transformed the area into a model of order and prosperity within a year. No doubt, his stints as Minister of Works and Minister of Justice in the Lu government also figured into the equation as well.
Despite these credentials, Confucius failed to secure a senior position in Wei or any other state for that matter during his fourteen years of exile from Lu. This failure was a source of frustration during his lifetime but ultimately did not tarnish his long-term reputation. Given the complexity and brutality of politics during the late Spring and Autumn Period, the likelihood of him achieving the status of a great reformer like his idol, the Duke of Zhou, was slim.
Ironically, Confucius’s inability to enact his teachings on a grand scale allowed him to leave behind a far more significant and enduring legacy as a sage. Had he succeeded in becoming the chief minister of a declining state, his influence might not have reached the heights it did in philosophy and moral education.
Related Links
Leadership Lessons from Confucius: driving meaningful change
The Analects of Confucius Book 13 New English Translation
