by Joseph LaFave
Abstract
In 213 B.C., the Qin Empire ordered books created before the Emperor’s reign to be burned, and anyone caught in possession be executed with their families. It was not the Emperor who created this decree on his own. It was through the Legalist philosopher Li Si. According to Fung Yu-Lan, Legalism is the usage of extreme governmental power to rule a nation.
The Qin Empire formed after conquering several states. The Qin adopted the first version of Legalism as a military tool for winning. Once in power, the Qin adopted the second version of Legalism as a governmental basis for ruling. Once power was established, the Qin adopted the second version of Legalism as a tyrannical philosophy with harsh punishments and oppression. With each progression of Legalism, the philosopher had a stronger position in the Qin government from beginning advisors to second only to the Emperor. The Legalist form of government is the reason the Qin Empire fell because it is a failure of a philosophy that gave leeway for someone to rise in political rank to gain power that would ultimately be used as an oppressive tool.
Even though the original Legalist philosophy was based in meritocracy the shift from Shang Yang’s version to Li Si’s created a failed philosophy that became bent on ruling an overbearing government which led to the fall of the Qin Dynasty.