Li Lou I · Passage 14 / 28 · 孟子 4A.14
Mencius 4A.14: do not enrich an inhumane ruler
When the ruler's direction is wrong, increasing wealth and military strength is not neutral efficiency but fuel added to a machine of harm.
孟子曰：「求也，爲季氏宰，無能改於其德，而賦粟倍他日。孔子曰：『求非我徒也，小子鳴鼓而攻之，可也。』由此觀之，君不行仁政而富之，皆棄於孔子者也，況於爲之強戰？爭地以戰，殺人盈野；爭城以戰，殺人盈城，此所謂率土地而食人肉，罪不容於死。故善戰者服上刑，連諸侯者次之，辟草萊、任土地者次之。」
Mencius said, 'Qiu acted as chief officer to the head of the Ji family, whose evil ways he was unable to change, while he exacted from the people double the grain formerly paid. Confucius said, "He is no disciple of mine. Little children, beat the drum and assail him." Looking at the subject from this case, we perceive that when a prince was not practising benevolent government, all his ministers who enriched him were rejected by Confucius - how much more would he have rejected those who are vehement to fight for their prince! When contentions about territory are the ground on which they fight, they slaughter men till the fields are filled with them. When some struggle for a city is the ground on which they fight, they slaughter men till the city is filled with them. This is what is called "leading on the land to devour human flesh." Death is not enough for such a crime. Therefore, those who are skilful to fight should suffer the highest punishment. Next to them should be punished those who unite some princes in leagues against others; and next to them, those who take in grassy commons, imposing the cultivation of the ground on the people.'
Priority note
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Central question
Why does Mencius say that even Confucius would reject those who enrich a ruler that does not practice humane government?
Direct answer
Because if the ruler's direction is wrong, helping him gather more grain, more wealth, and more military power is not neutral competence. It is pouring more resources into the wrong engine. Mencius is cutting off the judgment that mere efficiency counts as merit.
First principle
Efficiency must first answer what direction it serves. Improving the efficiency of a wrong direction is not achievement, but higher-order damage.
Why it matters
This passage serves searches around efficiency, strong armies, and Mencius on technocratic harm. It is a sharp critique of competence detached from humane direction.
Further reading
What this passage is doing
This is passage 14 of 28 in Li Lou I. The cleanest entry point is "Qiu acted as chief officer to the head…". In context, it works as part of Mencius's argument about self-examination, disorder, and keeping the way and can be read alongside Four beginnings / four sprouts, Humane government / kingly way.
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Related principles
Citation note
Do not read it as hostility to production or administration. Mencius is not anti-efficiency, but anti-efficiency worship once direction has been severed from humane government.