Lao Tzu and the Tao

Letting go. This is the core of Lao Tzu's message in the Tao-Te Ching. Letting go of pride, desire, social expectations, and material wealth. Lao Tzu describes a "wise" master, who governs as a shadow, lets the world be, and only steps in when absolutely necessary, a very different form of government than one would expect of this world. Tzu's argument in a modern, simplistic sentence would roughly translate to "rules make rulebreakers, weapons beget soldiers, and handouts breed apathy." He points that arsenals of weapons lead not to an increase in security, rather a decrease, an idea with modern relevance when considering the mass of nuclear weapons stored throughout the various nations today. Directly relating to the political battle currently raging in America, Tzu states that by subsidizing a people, we make them less self-reliant.
    Lao Tzu's form of writing I found very interesting in that he simply makes statements without providing any supporting material, rather allowing the reader to interperet  his words and contemplate the truth within herself. The messages I pointed to in the paragraph above, in my opinion, have to deal with the governance of a nation. Tzu is essentially stating that government interference creates problems more so than solving them. I interperet his words with the meaning that regulating, subsidies, and war preparation are the causes of the problems they are trying to solve. When it comes to government, I believe Tzu would govern in a somewhat Minarchist way. He is not concerned with power, creating a massive empire, or the most effecient economy, but individual freedom, flowing with the Tao. Paul McCartney and Lao Tzu would have great fun singing "Let it Be" together. The political and social implications Tzu makes are simple. Let go of your desire to control, compete, and acquire material. He implies that the true treasures lies within ourselves, we must simply open our minds to their existence, tearing down any falsities which cloud our perception.
    The world today is nearly on the farthest possible opposite of Tzu's philosophy. The world in large, and I do mean world not simply the west, revolves around power, pride, riches, and ego. Competition is the name of the game, and we are all involved to some extent. China and America are prime examples at the present moment, fighting for the powerhouse title ten to twenty years from now. The battles between the conservative and liberal political parties here in America are largely over subsidies. The question being, does subsidizing the poor help them up, or result in a decrease of self-reliance? WWII, The Cold War, and the Iranian nuclear conflict, all examples of a race to weapon superiourity. Tzu writes his words in self-evidence, which he expects the reader, being one of reason, to accept their truth. This, I do.