Page "Chinese philosophy" Paragraph 19

Legalism was the chosen philosophy of the Qin Dynasty.

It was blamed for creating a totalitarian society and thereby experienced decline.

Its main motto is: " Set clear strict laws, or deliver harsh punishment ".

Both Shang Yang and Han Fei promoted the absolute adherence to the rule of law, regardless of the circumstances or the person.

The ruler, alone, would possess the authority to dispense with rewards and punishments.

Ministers were only to be rewarded if their words matched the results of their proposals, and punished if it did not ; regardless if the results were worse or better than the claims.

Legalism, in accordance with Han Fei's interpretation, could encourage the state to be a militaristic autarky.

The philosophy was highly progressive, and extremely critical of the Confucian and Mohist schools.

This would be used to justify Li Si's large scale persecutions of the other schools of thought during the Qin dynasty, and the invariable denunciation by Confucian scholars from the Han dynasty and onwards.