Question

Read this passage from The Great Learning, an important text containing many of Confucius's words and teachings.

[The Master said], "Raise the [good people] and set them over the crooked and the common people will look up to you. Raise the crooked and set them over the [good people] and the common people will not look up to you."

Confucius, The Analects
What advice does Confucius offer to leaders in this passage?
A. A ruler should groom his sons to be good rulers after he is gone.
B. A ruler should not let his family get in the way of being a just leader.
C. A ruler should make sure not to reward people who behave badly.
D. A ruler should use violence to ensure that his subjects obey him.

Answer 1

the real answer to this question is C

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. A ruler should make sure not to reward people who behave badly.

By positing this, Confucius is arguing that if a ruler wants to have authority over the population then s/he should be fair at paying attention and rewarding good people and not the people that behave badly, like thieves, murderers, and cheaters. Confucius believes that most of the population follow moral leaders, and those leaders who reward immorality and corruption then tend to lose power and authority.