Chinese - Philosopher | 280 BC - 233 BC
If ministers forget their ruler and establish relationships with foreign powers in order to advance the interests of their confederates, there will be scant reason for subordinates to obey their superiors.
Han Fei
ForgetRelationshipsWillReason
The ruler who possesses methods of government does not follow the good that happens by chance but practices according to necessary principles. Law, methods, and power must be employed for government: these constitute its 'necessary principles.'
GoodPowerGovernmentLawChance
If you rely on political factions to promote men to office, the people will work to develop instrumental relationships and will not seek to be useful with regard to the law. Thus, a ruler who mistakes reputation for ability when assigning offices will see his state fall into disorder.
WorkMenMistakesPeopleLawYou
A ruler of men faces two possible misfortunes: if he employs the worthy, the ministers will use worthiness as a pretext to rob their ruler of his power, but if he promotes men recklessly, his affairs will be neglected, and he will not prevail.
PowerMenWillPossibleTwoWorthy
The intelligent ruler does not value people who are of themselves good without rewards and punishments. Why is that? The laws of the state cannot be neglected, and it is not one man who is being ruled.
GoodManValuePeopleWhyWithout
Within the frontiers of a state, there are no more than ten people who do good of themselves, whereas if one makes it so that the people can do no wrong, the entire state can be kept peaceful.
GoodPeoplePeacefulWrongMoreWho
The people in the well-ordered ages of the past upheld the public law and abandoned private strategies; they focused their intentions and unified their conduct. Everything they did was for the sake of being employed by the ruler.
PastPeopleLawFocusedIntentions
The Way of an enlightened ruler is to make it so that no minister may make a proposal and then fail to match it with actions and results.
ResultsWayFailMayRulerActions
When an enlightened ruler controls his ministers, he makes it so that ministers cannot get credit for achievements gained by overstepping the bounds of their offices or make proposals and then fail to match them with actual achievements.
CreditFailGetCannotRulerMatch
Those who serve as ministers can be compared to hands: reaching up, they take care of the head; reaching down, they take care of the feet.
FeetCareTake CareHandsDownHead
The Way is the beginning of the ten thousand things and the guiding thread of truth and falsity.
TruthBeginningWayThreadThings
The duties of the ruler are like those of the helmsman of a great ship. From his lofty position, he makes slight movements with his hands, and the ship, of itself, follows his desires and moves. This is the way whereby the one may control the ten thousand and by quiescence may regulate activity.
GreatControlShipHandsWayMay
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