Economy of Expenditure I

When a sage governs a state, the state’s wealth can be doubled; if his governance extends to the entire world, the world’s wealth can also be doubled. This doubling does not come from seizing territory from outside, but from relying on the state itself—by eliminating useless expenditures, it is sufficient to double the wealth. When a sage king administers affairs, every order he issues, every undertaking he initiates, every use of labor, and every expenditure of resources is done solely for practical benefit. Thus, resources are not wasted, the people are not overworked, and the beneficial undertakings he promotes are abundant.

What is the purpose of making clothes? To ward off cold in winter and heat in summer. The principle of making clothes is this: if they increase warmth in winter and coolness in summer, they are made; if they do not add such utility, they are not made. What is the purpose of building houses and palaces? To ward off wind and cold in winter, and heat and rain in summer. The principle of building houses and palaces is this: if they can be made more sturdy, they are built; if they cannot be made more sturdy, they are not built. What is the purpose of manufacturing armor, shields, and the five types of weapons? To fend off invaders and bandits. If there are invaders and bandits, those with armor, shields, and weapons can prevail; those without them cannot. Therefore, the sage manufactures armor, shields, and weapons. The principle of manufacturing armor, shields, and weapons is this: if they can be made lighter, sharper, more durable, and harder to break, they are made; if not, they are not made. What is the purpose of building boats and carts? Carts travel on hills and plains, boats navigate rivers and valleys, thereby facilitating the exchange of benefits among the four directions. The principle of building boats and carts is this: if they can be made lighter and more advantageous, they are built; if not, they are not built. In general, all these items are made solely for practical benefit, so resources are not wasted, the people are not overworked, and the beneficial undertakings he promotes are abundant.

If we remove the pearls, jade, birds, animals, dogs, and horses that lords and nobles delight in collecting, and instead use those resources to increase the quantity of clothes, houses, armor, shields, weapons, boats, and carts—would their quantity not be doubled? If this is done, then it is not difficult to double them. Thus it is said: What is the hardest to double? Only the population is the hardest to double.

Yet even the population can be increased. In ancient times, the sage kings established laws, saying: “A man at age twenty dares not remain unmarried. A woman at age fifteen dares not remain unmarried.” This was the law of the sage kings. After the sage kings passed away, the people followed their own desires. Those who wished to marry early sometimes married at twenty; those who wished to marry late sometimes married at forty. Comparing early marriage with late marriage, it is a delay of ten years compared to the sage kings’ law. If a child is born every three years after marriage, then two or three more children can be born. Is this not a way to double the population by making people marry early? Yet this is not the case today.

Now, those who govern the world employ many methods that reduce the population. They overwork the people, they levy heavy taxes, the people’s resources are insufficient, and those who freeze or starve to death are countless. Moreover, lords and nobles frequently raise armies to attack neighboring states—long campaigns last a full year, short ones several months—so that men and women remain separated for long periods. This is a method that reduces the population. Added to this are deaths from unstable living conditions, irregular eating and drinking, illness, as well as those captured or killed in besieging cities and fighting in the fields—these are countless. Is this not evidence that those who govern today reduce the population by multiple means? The sage, in governing affairs, has none of these problems. Is this not evidence that the sage increases the population by multiple means? Therefore, Mozi says: Eliminate useless expenditures and implement the way of the sage kings—this is the greatest benefit to the world.