But one thing they have in common is that they both want people to do good, and do the right thing. Confucianism believes that human nature is naturally good, while legalism believes that it isn’t. Governments are pretty much the basis to every society. Again we see the conflicting beliefs of these two teachings. Legalists believe that people have to conform, or adapt, to the law.
You always have to decide if you want to make peace with other countries or to go to war with them. Another good trait that makes a good leader is being brave and standing up for what you think is right for everyone in the government and society. You have to be able to understand each side before one acts out as a leader. You have to be able to know what the consequences are for the way you act and how you do it. In all aspect you have to be brave through it all and know that there is nothing to fear in America.
57). If leaders of government imposed regulations on the people, he believed this would hamper society’s growth and the people would not maintain the highest level of happiness. This demonstrates a good leader should empower the people to become more independent and to instill trust in the people to make the right choice. Machiavelli, a totalitarian thinker, believed that a leader should maintain a dictatorship rule with complete power by any means necessary without regard to the people’s expectations. He states, “Hence it is necessary for a prince who wishes to maintain his position to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge or not to use it according to necessity” (38, ver.
This is seen as Lau-Tzu describes weapons by stating that they are “… the tools of violence; all decent men detest them,” (Tao 31) while Machiavelli believes, “A prince, therefore, must not have any other obect nor any other thought, nor must he take anything as his profession but war, its institutions, and its discipline” (Prince 1). The tendency to push the extremes for the good of the people and the leader is the one main thing Machiavelli and Lao-Tzu have in common. Although Lao-Tzu does provide the reader with many new ways to deal with situations, it does not give any form of structure when used as a governing method. In the Tao-te Ching, Lao-Tzu writes about the way “The Master” is to get things achieved.
Locke believed the power of the government came from the people and if the people are not happy with government actions then they have every right to overthrow the government. Locke believed people could survive in a natural state with no government but if the people like the government it can exist to benefit them. . (Locke, Chap. 4 Pg.
Confucius best summarizes Jen in the Analects through what is sometimes referred to today as the Golden rule, “Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you." (Analects 15:23). This idea of treating others the way you would want to be treated emphasizes the importance of acting virtuous, and in return will be rewarded with acts of virtue. Confucius teaches that virtue is an act, and by acting with virtue good will come. Lao Tzu was another great philosopher around the time of Confucius who had a different take on life.
Socrates believed that people should evaluate their lives and become ethically responsible. He often considered people should not seek money or power but to become morale correct in society. One of Machiavelli’s famous quote: “It is better to be feared than loved.” He believed that leaders should do anything necessary to gain and maintain power. How can two people with opposite moral have the same ethical beliefs? Socrates and Machiavelli were both humanist philosophers.
Duty is a work ethic, it meant that you had to work hard to fulfill the duties and the affairs of society will prosper as a whole. In order to maintain humanity you must be compassionate and have empathy towards others. They believed in Filial Piety, which was the belief that every family member had his or her place, meaning they had to have respect for each other. According to Confucians, the “Golden Rule” was “What you do not like when done unto you, do not do unto others!” In simpler terms it means: treat others the way you want to be treated. Confucians believed in Civil Service.
However, the citizens wanted to make their own rules to follow, sensible and understandable rules. Further on Paine explains “the sun will never shine on a cause of greater worth?” I think that Paine is saying that it is such an issue that we should look to reform it in any way so that it is more fair to all citizens. The struggle of having a King or a Monarchy for the people at that time was difficult. The community wanted a more fair and equal government, while the king was not giving that to them. Let’s take for instance when Paine refers to the past writings of another author, Mr. Pelham “they will last my time.” The name of ancestors will be remembered for their great deeds by future generations with destinies of their own.
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two social contract theorists, and natural law theorists, whose views on government were very different. Hobbes believed in the power of the ruler, and he believed that society could not function without the power of the state. Hobbes believed in an absolutist government. Hobbes argued that people were driven by two things: the desire for power and the fear of death at someone else’s hands (Sayre, 2012). He believes that it was the role of the government that would keep these instincts in line.