Ancient Chinese Political and Legal Thought about Rewards and Punishments

Abstract

The article discusses ancient Chinese political and legal thought. In the modern world, such political and legal teachings as Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism have gained wide spread and influence. They occupy a special place in the spiritual culture of China and the life of modern Chinese society.

The PRC is at the stage of further modernization of Chinese society, which was initiated by the reforms of the 1970s. Traditional for China in any era of its development has been the appeal to the achievements of Chinese civilization.

One of the problems considered by the representatives of ancient Chinese political and legal thought is the problem of state administration. Among the various methods of government, ancient Chinese thinkers singled out, first of all, rewards and punishments. Within the framework of the political and legal views of ancient China, there were several approaches to rewards and punishments. The Confucians opposed the administration of the state on the basis of laws containing severe punishments. They believed that government should be based not on punishments, but on rewards. Supporters of Taoism recognized the method of rewards and punishments in government, but treated it negatively. In Mohism, ideas are expressed about the need to combine violent methods of control with moral forms of influence on people. Legalists come to the unequivocal conclusion that punishments are the most effective method of governing society.

The article concludes that the system of severe punishments developed by the Legalists underwent changes in the direction of mitigation and connection with the main postulates of Confucianism during the Han Empire. A system of severe punishments, coercion and violence, in a somewhat relaxed version, became the basis for the work of government bodies in subsequent centuries of Chinese history.