Tao Te Ching - The First Libertarian?

In college I read the Tao Te Ching and found it to support many libertarian ideas. I wasn't sure how the book became a religion, but that's a different story. Last night I received an e-mail from Dave Cribbin who has started a new blog called Dave's Right Side. In a recent post he has an interesting quote from the Tao Te Ching, among other historical writings that seem to support the supply-side notion that lower taxes lead to more revenues and a stronger economy.

The Tao Te Ching Curve Was written in the fifth century BC it's author also understood the Laffer Curve. Chapter 57 contains the following passage:

Run the Country by doing what's expected. Win the war by doing the unexpected. Control the world by doing nothing. How do I know this?

The more restrictions and prohibitions in the world the poorer the people get. The more experts a country has the more of a mess it's in. The more ingenious the skillful are the more monstrous their inventions. The louder the call for Law and order the more the thieves and con men multiply.

So a wise leader might say: I practice inaction and the people look after themselves.I love to be quiet and the people themselves find justice. I don't do business and the people prosper on their own. I don't have wants and the people themselves are uncut wood ( naturally virtuous)