Lessons for leaders and on life

Lessons for leaders and on life

With Confucius, we have read the lessons and advice that has been bestowed countless amounts of people. Advice varying from thoughtful wisdom, to strategic guidance. Confucius, whose advice seems to have no fault, explores a wide range of possible targets for his statements. First we see his possible advice for a leader...

"The Master Said, the common people can be made to follow it, they cannot be made to understand it." Book VIII, 9. 

What advice is Confucius giving here? Why does he feel as though the common people can follow orders, without truly understanding them? What does this say about the mass population being lead by an individual or a government?

We also see some words of inspiration from Confucius in the next page...

"The Master said, Learn as if you were following someone whom you could not catch up, as though it were someone you were frightened of losing."

Book VIII, 17

Where do we think Confucius gets his wisdom and knowledge. I know we discussed possible influences, but from what is he deriving his remarkable thoughts? Such a wide range of knowledge must be further explored.