To rule efficiently, an emperor needs other people. Engaging these people is necessary because what makes a country is its people. In addition, since a country is too big, the responsibility of governing becomes too demanding for an emperor to rule alone. Therefore, a ruler needs people, both distant and close relations to rule effectively. Close relations will prevent insurrection and encroachment into the territory. With respect to these insights, why does an emperor need people to govern effectively? Firstly, a ruler should position himself in a way that will value and strengthen his close relations. While taking this approach, granting too much power to subordinates at the expense of close ties might present difficult challenges to an empire. Whereas an emperor should value his subordinates in order to expand his empire, he is required to receive them with thoughtfulness. While granting too much power to subordinates could be detrimental to an empire, the emperor should endeavor to strike a definite balance. He will achieve this by strengthening his relations to even out the power among the subordinates. Secondly, a wise emperor should exercise wisdom and discretion in assigning duties and responsibilities to the different people within his empire. He should keenly focus on utilizing and maximizing the strengths and weaknesses of every man. Thirdly, a good emperor should be diplomatic, and not autocratic in giving ear to sound counsel from both the high and low estate. In doing so, he discourages secrets amongst his servants and becomes in touch with the world around and within the empire. On the contrary, the downfall of an empire will be evident in an emperor who refuses to receive counsel and critique.
Evermore, an emperor should act swiftly to weed out any acts of competition and eye service. Therefore, he should discern words and actions that are not genuine. Such words that are inspired by fear and favor are flatter and undermine the emperor’s ability to rule effectively. With respect to this view, an emperor should encourage and prefer bitter words from the genuine people than sweet ones from flatterers. While an emperor needs people for there to be an empire, he is not to exert undue pressure to the citizenry. The emperor will succeed this by indulging in pompous living, which in turn disturbs the empire’s economies through increased demand for taxation and labor. The consequence of the above is his people, and subordinates will get tired and begin to complain, hence the collapse of the empire. An emperor’s extravagance and quest for riches diminish peoples’ regard for him. Diminishing regards to an emperor might lead to the downfall of the empire. The other way he needs people in order to rule effectively is in ensuring their safety. To achieve this, he will have to invest in military defense force of the empire. Although an empire will not and should not always be in warfare, an emperor should aim at equipping the people with adequate military skill, competence, and discipline. Focusing on security is important since empire’s safety depends on its defense forces. Lastly, for an emperor who will rule effectively, he should hold in high regard the historical, cultural, political and spiritual experiences of the people. Culture is the embodiment of the above-listed factors. There exists a sense of cohesion and continuity in learning the culture of a people. An emperor should ensure the enhancement of culture through education.