If people followed their advice, the Taoists suggest, they would live along life and achieve physical and mental health. In order to prolong their lives the Taoists resorted to yoga-like techniques and even alchemy. The most important principle at the centre of their teaching however was a belief that 'The world is ruled by letting things take their course. The deepest roots of the Taoist view of wu-wei probably lies in early matriarchal society in ancient China. The Taoist ideal was a form of agrarian collectivism which sought to recapture the instinctive unity with nature which human beings had lost in developing an artificial and hierarchical culture.
Peasants are naturally wise in many ways.
By hard experience, they refrain from activity contrary to nature and realize that in order to grow plants they must understand and co-operate with the natural processes. It was this insight which led the Taoists to reject all forms of imposed authority, government and the State. It also made them into precursors of modern anarchism and social ecology. If he would lead them, he must follow behind. Certainly Lao Tzu addresses the problem of leadership and calls for the true sage to act with the people and not above them.