A comparative study of Hanfeizi and Machiavellis (英语论文).doc 7页

A comparative study of Hanfeizi and Machiavellis Abstract: As we know, Hanfeizi is the most representative figure of the legist school. His ideas are best described in his book “Hanfeizi ”,in which he strongly advocated the importance of “law”, “means”, “force ” for an emperor to control his country. About one thousand years later, in Italy there was an politician named Machiavelli. In his famous book called “The Prince”, he adopted the same attitude with Hanfeizi towards how an emperor should rule his country. In this paper, the author tries to explore some similarities and some dissimilarities between the two great thinkers from the aspect of their background, their attitudes towards the nature and relationship of human beings and so on. I Similarities in their backgrounds Hanfeizi (280BC_233BC) was born in the Spring and Autumn Period in Han state. At that time Han state was the most weakest state of the seven states. Hanfeizi ,who was much influenced by his teacher Xunzi and the Taoism, saw the political corruption in his country and put forward much useful advice to carry out reform.. Unfortunately the emperor of Han would not like to adopt his ideas and let his country wither away. However the emperor of Qinshihuang admired the talent of Hanfeizi and wanted to give him a position in Qin state. Although Qinshihuang finally killed Hanfeizi owing to listening to the unfaithful advice of Lisi., he ruled his country on the principles advocated by Hanfeizi. Until that time did the divived situation come to an end and the united central right come out. Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy at a time when the country was in political upheaval . Italy was divided between four dominant city-states, and each of these was continually at the mercy of the stronger foreign governments of Europe. Since 1434 Florence was ruled by the wealthy Medici family. Their rule was temporarily interrupted by a reform movement, begun in 1494, in which the young Machiavelli became an important diplomat. When the Medici family regained power in 1512 with the help of Spanish troops, Machiavelli was tortured and removed from public life. For the next 10 years he devoted himself to writing history, political philosophy, and even plays. He ultimately gained favor with the Medici family and was called back to public duty for the last two years of his life. Machiavellis greatest work is The Prince, written in 1513 and published after his death in 1532. The work immediately provoked controversy and was soon condemned by Pope Clement VIII. Its main theme is that princes should retain absolute control of their territories, and they should use any means of expediency to accomplish this end, including deceit. Scholars struggle over interpreting Machiavellis precise point. In several section Machiavelli praises Caesar Borgia, a Spanish aristocrat who became a notorious and much despised tyrant of the Romagna region of northern Italy. During Machiavellis early years as a diplomat, he was in contact with Borgia and witnessed Borgias rule first hand. Does Machiavelli hold up Borgia as the model prince? Some readers initially saw The Prince as a satire on absolute rulers such as Borgia, which showed the repugnance of arbitrary power (thereby implying the importance of liberty). However, this theory fell apart when, in 1810, a letter by Machiavelli was discovered in which he reveals that he wrote The Prince to endear himself to the ruling Medici family in Florence. To liberate Italy from the influence of foreign governments, Machiavelli explains that strong indigenous governments are important, even if they are absolutist. II Similarities in their attitudes reflected in their works 1.On force From the experience Machiavelli learned that weak countries had no diplomatic relationship with other counties. In his work he put forward that the weakest thing in the world was the power that was exaggerated. He tried to persuade the emperor to make a strong army, which would become the solid foundation of any course. While Hanfeizi held the same opinion with Machiavelli, he said that the most important task for an emperor was to develop his country in many ways such as increasing the production of agriculture, establish clear encouragement and punishment laws, have a forceful army under his control. 2. On humans nature and their relationshipThough humanists of Machiavellis time believed that an individual had much to offer to the well being of the state, Machiavelli was quick to mock human nature. Humanists believed that An individual only grows to maturity- both intellectually and morally- through participation in the life of the state. Machiavelli generally distrusted citizens, stating that ...in time of adversity, when the state is in need of its citizens there are few to be found.” Machiavelli further went on to question the loyalty of the citizens and advised the Prince that ...because men a wretched creatures who would not keep their word to you, you need keep your word to them. The same to Hanfeizi. Under the influence of his teacher Xunzi, Hanfeizi adhered to the principle that human nature was bad. And his developed his ideas to the enumerated kingdom which he thought was the heaven of the earth. He believed that human beings were driven by the greed for profit. We can see some trace in his famous saying: strict mother has kind children, while kind mother has brute children. Both of them believed that the relationship among human beings was a kind of naked interest_oriented relationship. They make use of each other, not believe in others, and would try every means to reach ones aims. 3.On the image of emperor. In The Prince Niccolo Machiavelli presents a view of governing : state that is drastically different from that of humanists of his time. Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect a policy, which would serve his best interests. These interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power. His understanding of human nature was a complete contradiction of what humanists believed andtaught. Machiavelli strongly promoted a secular society and felt morality was not necessary but in fact stood in the way of an effectively governed principality. Though in come cases Machiavellis suggestions seem harsh and immoral one must remember that these viewswere derived out of concern Italys unstable political condition. If a prince can not be both feared and loved, Machiavelli suggests, it would be better for him to be feared bey the citizens within his own principality. He makes the generalization that men are, ...ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well they are yours. He characterizes men as being self centered and not willing to act in the best interest of the state,[and when the prince] is in danger they turn against[him]. Machiavelli reinforces the princes need to be feared by stating: Machiavelli postulates that a prince must also deceive those whoattempt to flatter him. In choosing wise men for his government and allowing those the freedom to speak the truth to him, and then only concerning matters on which he asks their opinion, and nothing else. But he should also question them toughly and listen to what they say; then he should makeup his own mind. Machiavelli actively promoted a secular form of politics. He laid aside the Medievalli conception of the state as a necessary creation for humankinds spiritual, material, and social well-being. In such a state,a ruler was justified in his exercise of political power onlyif it contributed to the common good of the people he served, and the ethical side of a princes activity...ought to be based on Christian moral principles.... Machiavelli believed a secular form of government to be a more realistic type. His views were to the benefit of the prince, in helping him maintain power rather than to serve to the well being of the citizens. Machiavelli promoted his belief by stating: The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among those who are not virtuous. Therefore,if a prince wants to maintain his rule he must learn not to be sovirtuous, and to make use of this or not according to need.Hanfeizi also had the same attitude .He advocated his ideas about the “law”, ”mean”, ”force”. Many emperors in the Chinese history adopted his ideas in order to rule their countries. He believed that as an emperor ,one should know the dividing line of the encouragement and punishment and use these them wisely. The emperor should learn to get rid of the opponents and use law to rule the country so that all the citizen would know what they should do and what they should not. III Their different result Hanfeizis ideas have led our country to the absolutism, while Machiavellis ideas became theresources of the western democracy. Their ideas were about the same, why their result had so much difference? This was because that the feudality system lasted for almost two thousand years.While after Machiavelli there existed many philosophers in the west to discuss the validity of the absolute monarchy. They changed with the tides, while on the other hand we Chinese kept the old form and too outdated. 英语谚语警句100句精选 Proverbs are the daughters of daily experience.谚语是日常经验的结晶。 1. Look before you leap./Second thoughts are best. 三思而后行。/再想而后行。 2. Great minds think alike; (heroes have similar views.) 英雄所见略同。 3. We shall never have friends if we expect to find them without fault.欲求完美无缺的朋友必然成为孤家寡人。 4. What you sow, you must mow. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。 5. A beggar can never be bankrupt.天无绝人之路。 6.A friend in need is a friend indeed.患难见真情。 7. No news is good news. 没有消息就是好消息。 8. No cross, no crown. 不经历风雨,怎么见彩虹。 9. The more haste, the less speed. /Haste makes waste.欲速则不达。 10. Victory belongs to the most persevering. 坚持就是胜利！ 11. A young idler, an old beggar. 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。 12. Put one’s foot in one’s mouth. 说话不得体。 13. It is no use crying over spilt milk.覆水难收/悔恨已晚/木已成舟,回天乏力。 14. Content is better than riches. 知足常乐。 15. No gains without pains. 没有辛苦就没有收获。 16. The more a man knows, the more he is inclined to be modest. 大智若愚。 17. All roads lead to Rome .条条大路通罗马。 18. A snow year, a rich year. 瑞雪兆丰年。 19. Never say die! 永不言败！ 20. The best mirror is a friend’s eye. 朋友的眼睛是最好的镜子。 21. Faith will move mountain. 精诚所至，金石为开。 22. A life without a friend is a life without a sun. 人生没有朋友，犹如生活没有了太阳。 23. Great wits have short memories.贵人多忘事。 24. Do well and have well. 善有善报。 25. A bad thing never dies. 坏事传千年。 26. Four eyes see more than two. 人多识广/集思广益。 27. Diligence is the parent of success. 勤劳是成功的根本。 28. Water dropping day by day wears the hardest rock away.滴水穿石。 29. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. 抱最好的愿望，做最坏的打算。 30. While there is life, there is hope. /Debt is better than death. 留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。/有生命就有希望。 31. Where there is a will, there is a way. 功夫不负有心人。/有志者事竟成。 32. Where there is great love, there are always miracles. 哪里有真爱存在，哪里就有奇迹。 33. Where there is smoke, there is fire. 无风不起浪。 34. One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.一个和尚挑水喝，两个和尚抬水喝，三个和尚没水喝。 35. A stitch in time saves nine. 及时缝一针能省九针。/小洞不补，大洞吃苦。 36. Never too old to learn, never too late to turn. 亡羊补牢，为时不晚。 37. Don’t claim to know what you don’t know. 不要不懂装懂。 38. Do in Rome as Roman do. 入乡随俗。 39. Rome was not built in a day. 冰冻三尺，非一日之寒。 40. Sharpening your axe will not delay your job of cutting wood. 磨刀不误砍柴工。 41. Things of a kind come together, people a mind fall into a group. 物以类聚,人以群分。 42. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. 萝卜白菜,各有所爱。 43. like author like book.文如其人。 46. Like for like. 惺惺相惜。 47. Like teacher like pupil. 有其师必有其徒。 48. Gods that run many hares kill none.贪多必失。 49. Practice makes perfect. 熟能生巧。 50. Actions speak louder than words. 行胜于言。 51. You cannot eat your cake and have it. 鱼与熊掌，不可兼得。 52. One loses by pride and gains by modesty. 满招损,谦受益。 53. Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌。 54. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 每日一苹果远离医生。 55. Time past cannot be called back again. 时光不倒流。 56. A drop of water cannot make a sea, and a tree cannot make a wood. 滴水不成海，独木不成林。 57. If you venture nothing, you will have nothing. 不入虎穴,焉得虎子。 58.The tree is known by its fruit. 观其行知其人。 59. All work no play makes Jack a dull boy. 只会用功不玩耍,聪明的孩子也变傻。 60. The pot calls the kettle black. 五十步笑百步。 61. Unkindness often reacts on the unkind person. 恶有恶报。 62. Today’s work should never be left over till tomorrow. 今日事今日毕。 63. Nothing so bad but might have been worse. 塞翁失马,焉知非福。 64. God helps those who help themselves. 自助者天助。 65. Complacency is the enemy of study. 学习的敌人是自己的满足。 66. A fox may grow gray, but never good.江山易改，本性难移。 67. A friend without faults will never be found. 没有十全十美的朋友。 68. A good beginning is half done. 良好的开端是成功的一半。69. A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever. 一本好书，相伴一生。70. A good medicine tastes bitter. 良药苦口。71. A leopard cannot change its spots.积习难改。72. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. 一知半解，自欺欺人。73. All good things come to an end. 天下没有不散的筵席。74. Justice has long arms. 天网恢恢，疏而不漏。75．A man becomes learned