欲强兵者,务富其民 – Chinese philosophy and culture

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yù qiáng bīng zhě, wù fù qí mín 欲强兵者,务富其民

A Strong Army Depends on a Prosperous Populace.

要想使军力强大,必须使本国的百姓富足。它揭示的基本原理是:民富是兵强的基础或前提。百姓富足,国库就充盈,军资就有保障;百姓富足,人丁就兴旺,兵源就有保障;百姓富足,人心顺畅,国家的军政决策就会得到民众拥护。可以说,这一命题是“民惟邦本”理念在民与兵关系问题上的具体化。

To have a strong army, the nation must have a prosperous population. In other words, a prosperous people are the basis and pre-condition of a strong military. Prosperity means the state treasury is full so military supplies are guaranteed. If people live a good life, they will have large families and the supply of manpower for the army is guaranteed. If society is well off, the population is content and will support national military policies and decisions. The expression shows the concretion between the population and the military in line with the concept that “the people are the foundation of a nation.”

引例 Citation:

◎欲富国者,务广其地;欲强兵者,务富其民;欲王者,务博其德。三资者备,而王随之矣。(《战国策·秦一》)

(要想使国家富强,必须拓展自己的疆土;要想使军力强大,必须使自己的百姓富足;要想让天下人归顺自己,必须在本国广施仁政。这三件事都做到以后,那么天下自然就可以得到了。)

To make your nation strong, extend your boundaries; to make your army strong, enrich the people; to persuade all to accept your rule, govern with benevolence. If these three are accomplished, all under heaven is naturally yours. (Strategies of the Warring States)

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