Another understand on legalism of Han Fei Tzu
Hee-Kwon Chin
We generally understand that the legalism of Han Fei Tzu is the rule of an absolute monarch. But there is another facet of his legalism. Han Fei Tzu was a systematic and synthetic thinker ...
Another understand on legalism of Han Fei Tzu
Hee-Kwon Chin
We generally understand that the legalism of Han Fei Tzu is the rule of an absolute monarch. But there is another facet of his legalism. Han Fei Tzu was a systematic and synthetic thinker of Legalism of the Warring States period in China.
He stood on the legalism by way of the national enrichment and military buildup in the warlike age. The Fa(法) and The Shu(術) and The Shih(勢) constituted his legalism.
The Fa is the base of right or wrong. It was made by the king, but did not leave to his optiononly. It was subjected to the influence of the people's standards(or public morals). the standards did not base on the family morality of Confucianism but the social morality.
We catch snatches of that The Shu is a machinations of an absolute Monarch. The Shu has another meaning. It is that the Shu is a device for correcting official's impropriety. In the same way, It does not necessarily mean that the Shih is the power of an absolute ruler. It is an instrument to make a proper application of the law. It was wanted to realize the rule of law not of one’s self-will.
For that reason, we can not tell that Han Fei Tzu is a supporter of authoritarianism only.