In the Analects, Confucius says: “The people can be made to follow it. They cannot be made to understand it.” (民可使由之，不可使知之) A few passages later he says: “One who does not hold the office does not plan its affairs.” (不在其位，不谋其政)
The first line is read in more than one way. Some scholars punctuate it differently, so that it says: “If the people are able, let them follow. If they are not, let them be made to understand.” A related line appears in the bamboo text Zun De Yi, excavated at Guodian: 民可使道之，而不可使智之.