1. Shang Yang (商鞅, c. 390–338 BCE)

• Core Philosophy
  • Rule by Law (以法治国): Strict, impartial legal systems to govern society.
  • Agricultural-Militarism (农战): Strengthen the state through farming and warfare.
  • Collective Accountability (连坐): Punish groups for individual crimes.
• Key Contributions
  • Reformed Qin State policies, leading to its eventual unification of China.
  • Authored The Book of Lord Shang (商君书).
• Historical Significance
  • Laid the foundation for Qin Dynasty’s centralized bureaucracy.
• Enduring Influence
  • Inspired later Chinese legal codes and statecraft.

2. Han Feizi (韩非子, c. 280–233 BCE)

• Core Philosophy
  • Three Tools of Power (法、术、势):
    • Fa (法, Laws): Clear, harsh statutes.
    • Shu (术, Tactics): Ruler’s manipulation of officials.
    • Shi (势, Authority): Maintaining absolute power.
  • Human Nature is Selfish (性恶论): People act out of self-interest.
• Key Contributions
  • Synthesized Legalist thought in Han Feizi (韩非子).
• Historical Significance
  • Became the ideological blueprint for imperial China’s autocratic rule.
• Enduring Influence
  • Influenced East Asian administrative systems and modern authoritarian governance.

3. Li Si (李斯, c. 280–208 BCE)

• Core Philosophy
  • Standardization (统一): Unified writing, currency, and measurements.
  • Suppression of Dissent (焚书坑儒): Eliminated Confucian opposition.
• Key Contributions
  • Served as Qin Shi Huang’s chancellor, implementing Legalist policies.
• Historical Significance
  • Enabled the Qin Dynasty’s short-lived but transformative unification of China.
• Enduring Influence
  • Indirectly shaped China’s centralized governance model.

In fact, Wu Qi is also one of the representatives of legalism, but his achievements in the military are greater, so he belongs to the military, legalism did not become a representative figure!