When the Qin Dynasty came to power around 221 BCE, it found itself presiding over a land where the traditions and teachings of Confucius had been scattering for almost 300 years. Qin tried to rule China using a new philosophy called Legalism. Every philosophy has its own distinct laws and beliefs. These two philosophies are completely diverse and bring something different to the people of China. Confucianism was a social and ethical philosophy while Legalism encouraged a strong central government with complete power. Confucianism was a more superior form of government because it stressed personal honor by practicing with honest, honorable, kind leaders that existed for the benefit of the people, excluded violence to get results and implemented the importance of family.
Confucianism leaders were led to have kindness for their followers. “Rulers should also be humble and sincere, for people will grow rebellious under hypocrisy or arrogance. Nor should rulers be greedy; Confucius warned against a profit motive in leadership, stressing that true happiness rested in doing good for all, not individual gain.” The Legalism government on the other hand, expected the people to serve them. In the Legalist government, nothing comes before the government. The Legalist government wanted to be feared. “If heavy penalties are clear and if the people are always well disciplined and then if men are engaged in case of emergency, the superior will have all the advantage.” With honorable, honest leaders, a reliable and rigorous political life would inevitably follow for the Confucianism people.
It was important for the Confucian government to lead by example with their honorable, honest morals. “Rulers should also be humble and sincere, for people will grow rebellious under hypocrisy or arrogance.” They believed that by leading by a good example, people would follow and want to be good. The Legalism government implicated strict, harsh laws and punishments. “If he makes penalties severe, the people will attach themselves to the law.” Governing people by fear would work for a while but eventually the people would question their authority and philosophies and then turn against the government, causing chaos, “the triumph of penalty is the beginning of order.” This philosophy would cause people to revolt or rebel against because people do not want to be forced to believe is something from fear and harsh rules and punishments, “who makes laws strict, hits on the true nature of mankind.” Implicating honest, honorably, kind leaders like the Confucian government, evidently avoided riots, chaos and mayhem.
The Confucian government existed for the benefit of the people. A government in the mind of the Confucians had to be ‘good’ in order for the people to be worthy and conform to them. “Confucius urged the emperor and his assistants, the junzi (gentleman), to provide moral examples for society at large.” “This emphasis on a proper hierarchy was balanced by an insistence that society’s leaders behave modestly and without excess, shunning abusive power and treating courteously those people who were in charge.” Existing for the benefit of the people provided moral examples for society to live by.
The people of a Confucianism society were obviously expected to respect their superiors but were not implicated with strict and vital punishments like the Legalism society. The Confucians did not need to rely on severe reprimand and torture as the Legalists did. Confucians did stress respect for one another and for the superiors without any cruel or vicious behavior, “society’s leaders behave modestly and without excess, shunning abusive power.” “Force alone cannot permanently conquer unrest, but kindness toward the people and protection of their vital interests.” The Confucianism society obviously did not believe in violence to get results. Excluding violence from their teachings created a morally, conducive society to live in and be a part of. Implementing personal honor in their teachings was a lead example of the Confucianism government. “First and foremost he must learn to be faithful to his superiors.” “And if he finds he has made a mistake, then he must not be afraid of admitting the fact.” “He does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches.” They had faith in their people to use their own morality to keep them out of trouble and obeying the laws. Stressing personal honor through their own examples as leaders, lead their followers to practice the example set forth for them. Confucius considered family as the model social order. People in the Confucianism society should love and respect each other, “do unto others as your status and theirs dictate.” This is supported by the fact that three out of five relationships are combined with family: husband-wife, father-son and elder brother-younger brother. Confucius practiced respect and courtesy. “The family was seen as the center of such an orderly, serene hierarchy. Indeed, the family served as a great training ground for the principles of authority and restraint that applied to the larger social and political world.” In a Legalism society, laws and following the laws always came first along with warfare and fear among the people. “He who commands troops should inculcate warfare in the people’s minds.” The importance of family intertwined a tight Confucius society. As civilization arose along the Yellow River before 1000 B.C.E., many Chinese beliefs were formed early. In the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E., more formal systems of thought emerged. Confucianism proved the most durable and significant of all the resulting philosophies or religions. Confucianism stressed personal honor by providing honest, honorable, kind leaders, existed to benefit the people, excluded violence to get results or for punishment and strived on the importance of a strong family moral.
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