Han Fei

Han Fei

Han Fei (c. 280-233 B.C.) was a famous thinker and philosopher of the late Warring States period (475-221 B.C.). A repre- sentative scholar of the Legalist school of thought, he integrated and developed the concepts of “Shi” (power or authority), “Shu” (methods or techniques), and “Fa” (laws) to create a complete set of theories to justify the feudal monarchical system. Han Fei's ideas and theories were collected in the Hanfeizi.

Han Fei was a realist who believed that human nature was driven by self-interest, that politics originated from conflicts of interests in society, and that contradictions and struggles were the norm of political life. He believed that a state could not rely on wise and capable rulers to ensure sustained prosperity, but should focus on institutional development. He advised rulers to learn how to rely on peace to control movement and rely on transcendence to control reality. At the same time, he emphasized the need for a bureaucratic structure that ensured the appointment of officials on the basis of ability and accountability that rewarded good performance and punished bad behaviors.

Han Fei promoted the idea of ruling the state by law. He emphasized that only when the ruler governed according to the law, bureaucrats followed the law, and the populace abided by the law, could a centralized state maintain lasting stability. Han Fei's theories were applied and developed during the periods that witnessed high levels of centralization after the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.), exerting great influence on later generations.

韩非

韩非（约前280—前233），战国末期著名思想家、哲学家，法家学派代表人物。他融合并发展了“势”“术”“法”，并发展形成完备的理论体系，为封建社会的君主制度提供依据。后人将其思想整理编纂成《韩非子》。

韩非是一位现实主义思想家，认为人性好利是一切行为的基本逻辑，政治的起源正是社会利益冲突的产物，矛盾和斗争才是政治生活的常态。韩非认为，国家要实现持久稳定的发展不应当寄希望于贤能的统治者，而应当着力于制度建设。处上位的统治者要学会采取以静制动、以虚控实的方法，配合“因任授官”“信赏必罚”的组织管理“技术”，实现对官僚队伍的管理。

韩非推崇依法治国，强调统治者依法执政、官员依法行政、民众依法行事，才能维持中央集权国家的持久稳定。自秦以后的大一统王朝中，韩非的理论得到了充分的应用和发展，对后世产生很大影响。