# A small community: summary

Imagines a small community with limited movement and conflict and a settled way of life.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi/chapter-80-a-small-community

## Source and summary

[Laozi · Dao De Jing · A small community](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E9%81%93%E5%BE%B7%E7%B6%93%20%28%E7%8E%8B%E5%BC%BC%E6%9C%AC%29&oldid=2354026#%E5%85%AB%E5%8D%81%E7%AB%A0)

> 小國寡民，

Imagines a small community with limited movement and conflict and a settled way of life.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

Consider whether a smaller customer group permits the required quality and sustainable operation instead of making scale the objective.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using a small community, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[Laozi: a guide to the Dao De Jing](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/laozi/chapter-80-a-small-community.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0