Answer: Confucius believed that only using the people "In the proper season", which meant being prudent in using the people of a kingdom to help advance it, but being careful not to push them to the point of rebellion. Since China was an agricultural society, this advice was particularly relevant. The "proper season" referred to the time when farmers were not busy with planting or harvesting crops. During this time, they could be used for other purposes such as building infrastructure or working on public projects.