The Story of the Good King

Once upon a time, there lived a good king who ruled his land wisely.

He used the taxes his citizens paid to build schools and universities so that young people could learn all trades and study all sciences, thus better serving one another. He also built hospitals and trained doctors so that his citizens would not suffer from more illnesses. He had roads and railways built so that goods produced in one part of the country could be quickly transported to all other parts of the country where they were needed. He urged his judges to judge fairly and forbade his officials from accepting bribes.

The king wanted all his people to live in peace. He instructed the teachers in the schools to teach the children to be tolerant and not to despise other people because of their skin color, religion, or culture. The children also learned that, if they disagreed, they should talk it out and settle their dispute amicably. Every year, a large peace festival was held in the capital, with music and folk dances, and young people from all over the world were invited.

The king was a nice young man, quiet, modest, and gentle. He truly couldn’t hurt a fly. He didn’t wear extravagant clothes, he didn’t eat expensive exotic foods, and he didn’t drink fine wines. He also didn’t spend taxpayers’ money on pompous palaces, fine horses, or fast cars. He loved his young wife and, in the evenings, he sat with his two children in their nursery and read them bedtime stories. But what he loved most was sitting in his study, surrounded by his books and reports from all parts of the country, creating new plans for how the lives of his people could be further improved.

The king was not arrogant, but he was a clear thinker, and when he considered the reports he received from all parts of the country, he had to conclude that he was probably the best king the country could wish for. He further concluded that no one in the country had any reason to wish for another king unless they had ill intentions, and that anyone who might have wanted to be king in his place could only intend to use royal power for selfish purposes.

He said to his police chief, “If anyone should have the desire to be king instead of me, it can only be to abuse royal power. Perhaps to buy fine horses or have pompous palaces built, or to spend taxpayers’ money on extravagant clothes and jewels, or on fine horses and fast cars. So please keep an eye out for such people and prevent them from harming our kingdom.”

The police chief was an old friend of the king. They had both attended the same schools and studied at the same universities. The police chief was also a nice young man with many good qualities. He hated and despised no one because they dressed differently, spoke a different language, or believed in a different religion. But his most outstanding quality was his absolute loyalty and devotion to his king. He told his police officers, “We have a very clever and caring king who rules us wisely. He looks after our schools and universities, cares for our hospitals, organizes the construction of roads and railways, ensures that the mail is delivered quickly, opens swimming pools and playgrounds, and oversees our courts. All of this is very important for our country. But the most important thing for the well-being of our country and the welfare of its subjects is that our king remains king. So keep your eyes open for people who want a different king or perhaps even want to become king themselves. Such people are enemies of the people and must be neutralized immediately!”

The police officers were also nice people who had many good qualities. They loved their families and hated no one. But their most outstanding quality was their absolute obedience to their superiors. Thus, they kept an eye out for people who might be enemies of the king and therefore enemies of the people. If they heard of someone saying, “The new hospital is a really good thing, but it should have a larger children’s clinic,” or if someone was reported to them saying, “Why do we learn so much about the history of our royal family in our schools and so little about other countries?”, then they suspected him of wanting to discredit the king and arrested him.

After some time, some people began to complain seriously, saying that the police shouldn’t arrest people simply for having a different opinion about schools or hospitals. Naturally, such people were dealt with even more harshly. They were locked in the deepest dungeons, and their trials were not held in public. Ordinary people were not supposed to know that so many people were criticizing the police’s behavior. And if someone tried to resist arrest, the police had no choice but to use force, even if they didn’t like it at all.

The friends and relatives of the people who had disappeared kept asking questions, and so the king issued a law forbidding criticism of the police’s actions. Newspapers were not allowed to write about the arrests or the people who had disappeared. Opinions among the population were divided. Some felt the police were right to strictly guard the king’s safety, for he was indeed a good king and ruled the country wisely. But others said it was unfair to arrest people and throw them into the deepest dungeons without even granting them a public trial. They also complained that the king was now spending more money on the police than on schools, hospitals, or roads.

And now some people began to seriously believe that the king should be replaced by someone else. When some of these people were arrested, the police chief thought they were too dangerous to be left alive, even in the deepest dungeons. His loyalty to the king demanded that he have these ringleaders killed, even though he had a great aversion to bloodshed. He didn’t do it himself, but ordered his most trusted police officers to do it. These police officers, who were used to obeying orders, didn’t question his decision. They simply did their duty.

It’s easy to guess what happened next. The police chief feared that the people who opposed the king would gather in neighboring countries, raise an army, and return to conquer the country and depose the king. So, even more tax money was spent to strengthen the army, buy weapons, and hire secret agents to spy on the neighboring countries. And, of course, fear began to grow in the neighboring countries, and preparations were made to defend themselves. And one day, the nice young king had no choice but to declare war on his neighbors. The loyal police chief had no choice but to lead the army into battle. All the young men who had been raised to be tolerant and respectful towards others had no choice but to take their rifles and march across the border and shoot at the young men on the other side before the others shot at them.

That’s the story of The Good King, a text we read in school in 10th grade. It’s a puzzling story. How can someone so good end up making bad decisions? Why would other people follow? Good intentions gone bad?

It’s not just about leadership or politics. I think THE GOOD KING that went so wrong can be found everywhere. In schools, at job sites, in churches, temples, and other holy places. Even at home, in your own family.

What does leadership even mean? Is it fair to criticize people in leadership positions when they try to do everything in their power to make our lives better?

Even as a young student, a teenager, I concluded that no matter what you do in life and no matter how good your intentions might be, you can’t please them all.

The little tale, The Good King, was discussed in school in our class forweeks. Our teacher was wise; she widened our horizon gently. He gave us the room to explore. We learned to ask questions, and now, in retrospect, I wish stories like this would be read in every school all over the world.

Blind loyalty is perhaps the worst disease ever. To love or follow unconditionally, whether in a relationship, at work, or in politics, seems unwise.

Yet we so often do it!

Obedience? That’s another word I don’t like. To obey. I told the young, wonderful man I was going to marry so many decades ago, that this word would not be part of our vows—or if, then we both would have to lie.

This post is not about any current politics or current leaders in the world, but it came to my mind when I questioned my own ability to teach, when I made an unwise and unfair decision about a student, an older lady, who happens to be quite the opposite of me, in every way.

I meant well, but failed. What I thought was good and right was neither good nor right for her.

It’s not always the big things that can go wrong,

Goodness, this life thing is not as easy as it seems, not even when you are older.