On the Great Influence of Powerful Figures

Society should be divided into three classes: the supreme ruler, the commoner class, and the powerful figure class. The powerful figures refers to powerful and influential individuals or organizations, other than the supreme ruler, who possess substantial assets or have considerable political influence. The powerful figures include major officials of the central government, royal relatives, provincial and municipal local governments, warlords, nobility, prominent families, political parties, large capitalists, as well as other economic, religious, cultural, criminal organizations, and peasant rebel armies with considerable scale or influence, etc. The large bourgeoisie has become the most significant powerful figure in modern society. They can control public opinion and elections, or resort to coups and assassinations to seize power. Powerful figures are not the supreme ruler, but they are completely different from the majority of the common people in the ruled class. There are not many powerful figures in a country, but they had a significant impact on the construction and destruction of the country. It is social organizations that bring us the greatest benefits and the greatest harm. Therefore, those who can control social organizations can bring us the greatest benefits and the greatest harm. To eliminate separatist forces, the supreme ruler must strengthen the power of the central government and weaken that of local governments. Within the central government, to safeguard his own power, the supreme ruler must not only eliminate hereditary aristocrats but also restrict the power of government officials.