The Governance Of Benevolence

仁法之治: Regimen Principii Humanitatis · Ἀρχὴ Φιλανθρωπίας

Rule the World by the Way of Benevolence, Not by Techniques of Control

Legalism (法家), as codified by thinkers such as Shang Yang, Han Feizi, and Li Si during China’s Warring States period, represents one of the most authoritarian and mechanistic approaches to governance in Chinese history. It prioritizes centralized power, harsh punishment, and rigid control of the population over any cultivation of virtue or civic trust. Despite its historical significance and temporary effectiveness in consolidating power, Legalism’s fundamental assumptions about human nature, society, and governance are deeply flawed. Its anthropological, sociopolitical, and ethical framework not only failed to sustain the regimes that adopted it, but also left a legacy of trauma and repression that cannot be romanticized or ignored.

Many countries throughout history initiated “变法” (reforms) inspired by Legalist principles. But how many truly succeeded — and for how long? What are the cost of success? And are we missing the point of gains or is it just a pyrrhic victory? Even the most famous application of Legalism — the Qin dynasty — collapsed within just eleven years of unification. The political, sociological, and anthropological…