Han Feizi Quotes on Politics
Han Feizi was a 3rd-century BC Chinese political philosopher and one of the principal founding figures of the Legalist school of philosophy. This page collects quotes attributed to Han Feizi on the topic of politics, drawn from across the philosopher's works.
Quotes
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Attributed to Han Feizi:
“When the ruler relies on his own intelligence and discards laws, even his ablest ministers will fail him.”
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Attributed to Han Feizi:
“The enlightened ruler does not need the worthy or the wise; he relies on law.”
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Attributed to Han Feizi:
“If laws and orders are clear, no one need rely on the wisdom of others.”
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Attributed to Han Feizi:
“When men are most numerous and goods are scarce, when men labour painfully and yet have little to live on, then naturally they will quarrel.”
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Attributed to Han Feizi:
“The carpenter does not throw away the line because the wood is crooked; the ruler does not abandon the law because the people are unruly.”
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Attributed to Han Feizi:
“Past and present have different customs; new and old must be measured by different standards.”