Daoist political philosophy and Its Value for Contemporary Political Leadership
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52521/kg.v22i3.16286Abstract
In the context of globalization and the proliferation of socio-political crises, there is a growing demand for models of leadership that emphasize flexibility, humility, and adaptability. Eastern political philosophies have left profound legacies; however, most studies have focused on Confucianism and Legalism, while Daoism has often been regarded more as a mystical worldview than as a viable political theory. This article addresses this gap by examining Daoist political thought, particularly the concepts of Dao ( 道), De (德), and the principle of wu wei (無為), to analyze their significance for contemporary political leadership.Downloads
References
Andrew. (2024, March 13). Lao Tzu on servant leadership. Patheos. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/soapboxredemption/2024/03/lao-tzu-on-servant-leadership/
Floisand, E. (2019). Jacinda Ardern: A model servant leader for these times. Deh Foundation. https://dehfoundation.org/jacinda-ardern-a-model/
Indraswari, R. (2015). Cultural diplomacy in ASEAN: Collaborative efforts. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 5(4), 394–397. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJSSH.2015.V5.487
Lee, Y.-T., Han, A.-G., Byron, T. K., & Fan, H.-X. (2008). Daoist leadership: Theory and application. In C.-C. Chen & Y.-T. Lee (Eds.), Leadership and management in China (pp. 83–107). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511753763.005
Li, M., & Tsui, A. S. (2015). Traditional Chinese philosophies and contemporary leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(1), 13–24.
Lionel Giles (Trans.). (1905). The teachings of Lao Tzu. http://www.sacred-texts.com
National Environment Strategy 2020: The middle path. (n.d.). https://climate-laws.org/documents/national-environment-strategy-2020-the-middle-path_5e77?id=national-environment-strategy-2020-the-middle-path_eef7
Nguyen Duy Can. (1968). Tao Te Ching. Khai Tri.
Nguyen Huu Phuoc. (2016). Legalism in the history of Chinese political-social thought and its influence on Vietnamese feudal society (Doctoral dissertation). Hanoi: [s.n.].
Pham, Q. H. (2019). Zhuangzi’s philosophy of freedom: Reflections and references for legal studies. VNU Journal of Science: Legal Studies, 35(3), 84–95.
Pines, Y. (2023). Chinese Legalism. In E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman (Eds.), Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2023 Edition). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/chinese-legalism/
Rother, N. (2018, August 20). Decentralization has fostered an ever prosperous Switzerland. interest.co.nz. https://www.interest.co.nz/news/95754/decentralisation-has-fostered-ever-prosperous-switzerland
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2018, September 21). Laozi. In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2023 Edition). https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/laozi/ (Original work published December 15, 2001)
The Loop – ECPR. (n.d.). Let’s tell a more contextual story about Minben. https://theloop.ecpr.eu/lets-tell-a-more-contextual-story-about-minben/
Wu, Y., & Kang, X. (2019). Core values and ethical principles in Lao politics. China Studies, 8(3).
Wu-wei and governance: The art of non-action in leadership. (n.d.). Licentia Poetica. https://licentiapoetica.com/wu-wei-and-governance-2cb8054eb3cc
Yao, Y. M. (n.d.). Rise of cultural diplomacy in East Asia. The Pardee Atlas Journal of Global Affairs.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Dung Nguyen Thi Thanh

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.














