When the Qin Dynasty came to power in 221 BC, it found itself ruling over a land where the teachings of Confucius had been spreading for almost 300 years. Qin attempted to rule China using a new philosophy called Legalism. Both were widely different in their views on political, familial, and social issues. However, these philosophies greatly influenced and unified early Chinese empires; some even became official state ideologies. The role of the government was extremely important in the eyes of Confucians. If your ruler was moral, in turn, his subjects would be prosperous. The government only existed to benefit and support the people, not the other way around. This ideology stresses the importance of community and promotes a giving culture. However, Legalists have an opposite view on the role the government should take. They believe in a society that the government should come before everything and that the people are meant to serve the …show more content…
It’s a rule that prevents hateful or criminal actions in a realistic and empathetic way. Many religions and cultures have their own variation of this law of reciprocity, making it a widely respected belief. Opposing to this, Legalists do not believe that human empathy is at all important in society. Legalism views the law above the people, and in a black and white society, this form of judgment without compassion is achievable. However, since the world isn’t black and white, this only creates a “Big Brother” culture that promotes its citizens to turn on each other and feel threatened by their own government. This responsibility to the law was also pushed onto households ethics. If any member of your family had disobeyed the law it was your duty to turn them into the government. Unlike Legalism, Confucianism understood the value of family and it’s priority over