Han Fei Professions : Philosopher Born : 280 BC Died : 233 BC Browse All Authors Top 35 quotes by Han Fei I believe it is impossible to be sure of anything. Han Fei anything i-believe impossible believe If a ruler can get rid of private crookedness and promote the public law, his people will become secure, and his state will become well ordered. Han Fei become will law people When an enlightened ruler controls his ministers, he makes it so that ministers cannot get credit for achievements gained by overstepping the bounds of their offices or make proposals and then fail to match them with actual achievements. Han Fei fail cannot get credit The duties of the ruler are like those of the helmsman of a great ship. From his lofty position, he makes slight movements with his hands, and the ship, of itself, follows his desires and moves. This is the way whereby the one may control the ten thousand and by quiescence may regulate activity. Han Fei control great hands way The severe household has no fierce slaves, but it is the affectionate mother. Han Fei slaves affectionate fierce mother The Way of an enlightened ruler is to make it so that no minister may make a proposal and then fail to match it with actions and results. Han Fei fail make results way If you rely on political factions to promote men to office, the people will work to develop instrumental relationships and will not seek to be useful with regard to the law. Thus, a ruler who mistakes reputation for ability when assigning offices will see his state fall into disorder. Han Fei you work men people If ministers forget their ruler and establish relationships with foreign powers in order to advance the interests of their confederates, there will be scant reason for subordinates to obey their superiors. Han Fei relationships will reason forget Those who serve as ministers can be compared to hands: reaching up, they take care of the head; reaching down, they take care of the feet. Han Fei down care feet hands A ruler of men faces two possible misfortunes: if he employs the worthy, the ministers will use worthiness as a pretext to rob their ruler of his power, but if he promotes men recklessly, his affairs will be neglected, and he will not prevail. Han Fei possible will power men The severe household has no fierce slaves, while it is the affectionate mother who has the prodigal son. Han Fei who fierce mother son Within the frontiers of a state, there are no more than ten people who do good of themselves, whereas if one makes it so that the people can do no wrong, the entire state can be kept peaceful. Han Fei wrong good peaceful people He who is vain and delights in his own ability is deceived by his inferiors. When he likes to bring forth arguments and kindliness, his inferiors take advantage of his abilities. Han Fei take-advantage own ability deceived The people in the well-ordered ages of the past upheld the public law and abandoned private strategies; they focused their intentions and unified their conduct. Everything they did was for the sake of being employed by the ruler. Han Fei focused law people past If a ruler of men wants to put an end to vice, he must examine the correspondence between form and name and look to see how what is said differs from what is done. Han Fei name end look men Similar Authors F. H. Bradley philosopher Irving Copi philosopher Ivan Ilyin philosopher Ivan Illich philosopher Bion of Borysthenes philosopher Bonaventure philosopher All Authors