Law and Morality in the Han Fei Zi

Abstract

Han Fei, the pre-Qin Legalist philosopher, has often been accused of advocating a complete break between law and morality in a bid to secure absolute power for the ruler. This thesis is an attempt to consider anew the relationship between law and morality in the Han Fei Zi, and to show that, contrary to what most scholars claim, Han Fei does not espouse a??government for the ruler.a?? I will argue that the Han Fei Zi was not intended as an apology for despotism, but instead, as an antidote to the disorder that plagued the Warring States period. As such, this thesis will consider the Han Fei Zi for its contribution to the perennial debate on good government: what it is and how it can be achieved.