1. Legalist Philosophy:
Law, Methods,
Power-base
World History I
St. Anne’s-Belfield

2. Continuity with
Confucianism and Taoism
! In terms of goals, what did Legalism have in
common with Confucianism and Taoism?

3. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature

4. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature
! According to Confucius, what was the principle
responsibility of the ruler?

5. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature
! According to Confucius, what was the principle
responsibility of the ruler?
• Confucius had suggested that men should be governed
primarily by the MORAL EXAMPLE of a good ruler

6. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature
! According to Confucius, what was the principle
responsibility of the ruler?
• Confucius had suggested that men should be governed
primarily by the MORAL EXAMPLE of a good ruler
• What was the Confucian view of human nature?

7. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature
! According to Confucius, what was the principle
responsibility of the ruler?
• Confucius had suggested that men should be governed
primarily by the MORAL EXAMPLE of a good ruler
• What was the Confucian view of human nature?
! What appears to be the Legalist view of human nature

8. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature
! According to Confucius, what was the principle
responsibility of the ruler?
• Confucius had suggested that men should be governed
primarily by the MORAL EXAMPLE of a good ruler
• What was the Confucian view of human nature?
! What appears to be the Legalist view of human nature
PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY BAD AND DRIVEN BY
SELFISH DESIRES!

9. Key Legalist Concepts I
View of Human Nature
! According to Confucius, what was the principle
responsibility of the ruler?
• Confucius had suggested that men should be governed
primarily by the MORAL EXAMPLE of a good ruler
• What was the Confucian view of human nature?
! What appears to be the Legalist view of human nature
PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY BAD AND DRIVEN BY
SELFISH DESIRES!
Historically, on what was this view of human nature based?

10. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality

11. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual
motives

12. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual
motives
How could Confucian morality
be used for selfish gain?

13. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual
motives
How could Confucian morality
be used for selfish gain?
! –Useless to try to educate people in
morality; they’ll just be selfish

14. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual
motives
How could Confucian morality
be used for selfish gain?
! –Useless to try to educate people in
morality; they’ll just be selfish
2. Confucian morality does not work
under modern circumstances

15. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual
motives
How could Confucian morality
be used for selfish gain?
! –Useless to try to educate people in
morality; they’ll just be selfish
2. Confucian morality does not work
under modern circumstances
-What changed between ancient and
modern times
which made
morality obsolete?

16. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual 3. Filial piety undermines a
motives
powerful military structure
How could Confucian morality
be used for selfish gain?
! –Useless to try to educate people in
morality; they’ll just be selfish
2. Confucian morality does not work
under modern circumstances
-What changed between ancient and
modern times
which made
morality obsolete?

17. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual 3. Filial piety undermines a
motives
powerful military structure
How could Confucian morality – Why would this be true?
be used for selfish gain?
! –Useless to try to educate people in
morality; they’ll just be selfish
2. Confucian morality does not work
under modern circumstances
-What changed between ancient and
modern times
which made
morality obsolete?

18. Key Legalist Concepts II:
Refutation of Conventional Morality
1. Legalists believed that morality
was based in selfish, individual 3. Filial piety undermines a
motives
powerful military structure
How could Confucian morality – Why would this be true?
be used for selfish gain? Instills a sense of shame so that
! –Useless to try to educate people in you won’t dishonor law and
morality; they’ll just be selfish propriety
2. Confucian morality does not work
under modern circumstances
-What changed between ancient and
modern times
which made
morality obsolete?

19. Key Legalist Concepts III:
The Concept of Law

20. Key Legalist Concepts III:
The Concept of Law
! Stability required rule by
law and a powerful state
– According to Legalists, what
did the establishment and
maintenance of a strong state
and rule by law require?

21. Key Legalist Concepts III:
The Concept of Law
! Stability required rule by
law and a powerful state
– According to Legalists, what
did the establishment and
maintenance of a strong state
and rule by law require?
! Ruler considered the
cornerstone of stability

22. Key Legalist Concepts III:
The Concept of Law
! Stability required rule by
law and a powerful state
– According to Legalists, what
did the establishment and
maintenance of a strong state
and rule by law require?
! Ruler considered the
cornerstone of stability
! Ruler->rule by law->
strong state->stability

23. Key Legalist Concepts III:
The Concept of Law

24. Key Legalist Concepts III:
The Concept of Law
Instead of morality,
Legalists emphasized the
importance of harsh and
inflexible law enforced by a
powerful ruler as the only
means of achieving an
orderly, prosperous society

25. Law Under the Legalists

26. Law Under the Legalists
! Legalists argued for an
elaborate system of laws
defining fixed penalties
for each offense, with no
exceptions for rank, class
or circumstances- NO
ONE IS ABOVE THE
LAW EXCEPT THE
RULER!

27. Key Legalist Concepts IV:
The Concept of Methods

28. Key Legalist Concepts IV:
The Concept of Methods

29. Key Legalist Concepts IV:
The Concept of Methods
! “Methods” were key to the construction and
maintenance of a stable, powerful monarchy

30. Key Legalist Concepts IV:
The Concept of Methods
! “Methods” were key to the construction and
maintenance of a stable, powerful monarchy
! Only ruler should use Methods

31. Key Legalist Concepts IV:
The Concept of Methods
! “Methods” were key to the construction and
maintenance of a stable, powerful monarchy
! Only ruler should use Methods
! Different from law; intended to govern ONLY the
relations between kings and their minsters

32. Key Legalist Concepts IV:
The Concept of Methods
! “Methods” were key to the construction and
maintenance of a stable, powerful monarchy
! Only ruler should use Methods
! Different from law; intended to govern ONLY the
relations between kings and their minsters
! Goal is to keep royal court off balance to preserve
the power of the ruler

33. The Ch’in Dynasty

34. The Ch’in Dynasty
The Legalists’ dreams and
nightmares were realized when
in 221BC China was unified
under the Ch’in Dynasty as the
result of putting Legalist ideas
into practice.

36. Why was Shih Huang Ti a great ruler?

37. Why was Shih Huang Ti a great ruler?
Shih Huang Ti brought
order to China as he
standardized,
centralized, and unified
China.

38. Why was Shih Huang Ti a great ruler?
Shih Huang Ti brought
order to China as he
standardized,
centralized, and unified
China.
Standardization

39. Why was Shih Huang Ti a great ruler?
Shih Huang Ti brought
order to China as he
standardized,
centralized, and unified
China.
Standardization
Centralization

40. Why was Shih Huang Ti a great ruler?
Shih Huang Ti brought
order to China as he
standardized,
centralized, and unified
China.
Standardization
Centralization
Unification