Quote by Han Feizi: “The wise ruler looks to law, not to persuasion.”

This highlights the Legalist emphasis on objective rules and force over subjective moral appeals. A smart leader relies on clear laws and their enforcement, rather than trying to convince people through arguments or charm, ensuring efficient governance.

Legalism stood in stark contrast to Confucianism, which emphasized moral example and persuasion. Han Feizi argued that human nature required strict laws, not appeals to virtue, for effective governance during a time of widespread warfare and instability.

Chinese political philosopher of the third century BCE who synthesized earlier Legalist ideas into a systematic theory of governance based on law, political technique, and authority rather than moral virtue. His text, the Han Feizi, was highly influential in the unification of China under the Qin dynasty. He died in prison after being outmaneuvered by a rival at the Qin court.