After the warring states period in Ancient China, several “schools of thoughts” became more prevalent as a way to establish peace and create prosperity in the civilization. One “school of thought”, in particular, which changed China was Legalism. Legalism was more of a principle in which total control is exhibited in society, utilizing a powerful government (Upshur). This ensures that the country is powerful and successful in war. Legalism also established very strict policies on what information is spread throughout society. However, throughout the years, China has not changed much, with respect to its policies relating to media censorship. Legalism has had an enormous role in the development of Classical China. Furthermore, in modern China, …show more content…
As shown, media censorship is a major aspect of Chinese government since it is forcing Legalist ethics to continue to remain prevalent in the country because the government does not wish to accept controversial opposing viewpoints, the nation does not want to undergo another period of chaos, and citizens are being punished for expressing “freedom of speech.” After this, it can be determined that China has always been based off of parts of Legalism. For instance, after the explosion in Tianjin, few citizens were accepting what the government was telling them due to previous incidents (Rauhala). Therefore, media censorship must have been existing for a long period of time if this issue has recurred multiple times. It can also be concluded that this issue will continue to remain prevalent in China ideologies because the government is different from Western countries, meaning there will always be opposition. Overall, Legalism has been a major influence in China, and has shaped most of Chinese history; furthermore, it will continue to impact China in the near future until the government experiences