Legalism passage

“The people will love their ruler and obey his commandments. . . who, in idleness, live on others will be many. . .” (Legalists and Militarists, 195)

The Legalists were firm believers of maintaining a weak and ignorant people. In this passage, the essential message is that a weak people will yield a strong state. If the people are not exposed to “itinerant scholars,” successful merchants, and rich artisans, then they will not know that there is a life better than one spent farming; if they are aware, they will “shun agriculture, they will care little for their homes” (195). The state will suffer if the people care more for their individual well-being. Legalism makes stability the priority. When intellectuals and other successful or wealthy people “expound their sophistries in the street,” they threaten this stability. Control of the state is more secure without such radical ideas when that state’s priority is stability rather than education or personal achievement. “Seeing as they succeed in captivating kings, dukes, and great men,” these lifestyles are very dangerous, because “all [want to] imitate them.” The ruler should not be concerned with exposing the people to various lifestyles, for “they will be of no use... [and] will certainly not fight and defend [the state] for the ruler’s sake.” If the state’s welfare is not also the first priority of the people, the people will feel less obligated to defend their state in war.

In terms of Legalism’s overall philosophy, the passage reflects such. Maintaining the state’s focus on agriculture and farming is practical. The state should be focused completely on order and obedience, and war and expansion. In order for the state to expand, its citizens must be willing to defend it. In Legalism, since the people, in theory, will be most concerned with their homes and state, the will be willing to go to war. Preventing the people from living other lifestyles makes for a very orderly state with a strong central government; social mobility is the largest threat to the obedience of the people and the order of the state. In Chinese society, Legalism is meant to be applied to maintain or accomplish order, a strong central government, obedient citizens, expansion, and practicality. In order to achieve these ideals, the rights of the people are altered and a specific need or aspiration is not considered important or appropriate to dwell upon.

Legalism is most definitely a response to Confucianism; it is essentially the antithesis of it. Confucianism is focused on education, social and academic, as well as pursuing individual goals. Legalism sees any idea in favor of the individual as a weakness of the state. In Confucianism, people are focused on their own needs, and do not put the state first. When the people get new ideas, they may disrupt the order of the state, possibly overthrowing the ruler. While Legalism and Confucianism agree that obedience is important, the philosophies do not have other common principles.