Tao invariably takes no action, and yet there is nothing left undone. (Tao Te Ching, 37)
In Confucian Philosophy, the Philosopher King does not have to do something to create change in the society. It is himself that inspires people to act. In Taoist Philosophy, the Tao can be similar to the Philosopher King wherein it does not act, it does not impose something that is to be done yet all the changes that had happened in the society can be attributed back to it. The Tao serves as an inspiration to the people to create something. It is by his ways that the people are urged to move and not by any command or request. They are simply affected by the examples of the Tao.
The Tao does not take action. It does not explicitly and implicitly request people to move. Its examples alone are the motivation of the people to do something. It is shown here how powerful and powerless the Tao is. It is powerful because it drives people to do things. It is powerful because people do things without saying or doing something to them. The Tao is powerful yet powerless at the same time. It is powerless because it does not explicitly reveals itself to the people. It would take time for people to be inspired and motivated by it since it is not something easily sensed by the human senses. The Tao is something deep and the people has to dig deeper to know and find it. If the people cannot recognize the Tao, the change without command or request cannot be done. The people may act but it will always be driven by some external force.
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