Answer:
Legalism is the name of a trend within classical Chinese philosophy that emphasized that government should be based on obedience to laws that were publicly proclaimed, applied to all, and enforced with severe penalties. During the Qin Dynasty, legalism was the state ideology.
Legalism, unlike other philosophical views like Confucianism, was not interested in cosmology, epistemology or ethics, but emphasized political and administrative techniques. Governance should be based on obedience to laws that were publicly proclaimed, applied to all, and enforced with severe penalties. The movement turned against the Confucians and their emphasis on rites that were based on an inner awareness (of courtesy). Legalism left no room for private views, because diversity would lead to division and disorder. Nor should the will of the legislator be limited by tradition, privilege, moral, natural or divine law.
