The Thought of Han Fei and the Liberal Society

Philosophy and Culture 33 (6):171-184 (2006)
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Abstract

Han Fei's thought the original total and the "totalitarian" system from the coming together, with the "free" chance. However, Han Fei, though not the modern sense of liberal, his core idea for establishing a free society, but it has important implications. Han Fei's thinking is the core of pragmatism, method, technique, and other potential forms of Legalist statecraft also introduced the core of this idea. Therefore, method, technique, no sure of the potential content, road management must be determined in accordance with the facts. Is the so-called "law and when the switch is governance, governance and the World should then active." Therefore, the law is not necessarily to be harsh, as long as the reality-based to interest the public purpose can be, the key is to not allow any theory or so, whether the theory is how mainstream and has achieved much brilliant results, as long as it impedes establishing Solomon, social, convenience must be abandoned. Since 1989 the year of the socialist regimes in Eastern Europe collapse, European and American powers advocated by the liberal world political and economic mainstream. Although during the Cold War political and economic regime such achievements Leung did more, but already at this stage of its development to the people living in them lost heavily In order In order to free life. According to Han Fei's thinking at this stage of liberalism are quite convenient that the amendment makes it to regain the freedom of life, the real interest people build a free society. The thought of Han Fei has been strongly associated with totalitarianism. It has never had any positive association with freedom. Although Han Fei cannot be qualified as a liberal in the modern sense, the core of this thought bears important insight on building a liberal society. The core of Han Fei's thought can be called "practicalism". The major means of ruling which are up held by the legalist such as law, political tactics, and power from political system are derived from praticalism. Therefore, such ruling means have no concrete content. Their specifications are to be determined by circumstances and objective reasoning. In Han Fei's words, "only when laws change with the time could the country be ruled, ruling that fits the era yields desirable effects". Therefore, law is not meant to be harsh, it just has to adjust to the brut fact in order to deliver a beneficent society. The key is not to be swayed by any theory that does not yield actual effect. It does not matter how dominant a theory is or how much has been accomplished through the theory. As long as it hinders the development of a beneficent society, it has to be abandoned. Since the serial fall of the socialist regime of Eastern Europe during the latter part of 1989, liberalism of the western society become the dominant trend of socio-political development of the world. Although a lot has been established in the name of liberalism during the cold war period, liberalism is detrimentally taking away people's freedom of everday life at this particular stage of its development. According to Han Fei, liberalism at its present form has to be changed. Only then, can a beneficent society where people are truly free be established

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