Confucius' statement that we should pay attention to the small family before we can take care of the collective and the country can be traced back to his theory of "cultivating one's morality and keeping one's family in harmony, governing the country and leveling the world" in "University".

In this theory, Confucius first emphasized personal cultivation and family harmony. Only when a person's own moral character is correct and his behavior is standardized can he achieve family harmony. The harmony of family is the basis of the harmony of the whole society.

according to Confucius, the governor of a country needs to pay attention to his family and set an example before he can spread this cultivation and harmony to the whole country. How can a governor manage a country well if he can't manage his own family well?

Therefore, Confucius believes that only through personal cultivation and family harmony can the country's stability and prosperity be achieved. This also reflects Confucius' philosophy of paying attention to personal cultivation and social responsibility.