Comparative Study Of Despotism On Confucian And Mohist School In The Pre-Qin Period

Study of despotism on Confucian in pre-Qin in academic circles is fully, but the research on despotism of Mohist in pre-Qin is not enough.In fact, they should be treated equally.The spring and autumn period and the warring states period is special in Chinese history, In this period,the specially situation provides a unique condition for the produce of Confucianism and Mohism. Old traditions have been destroyed, but the new order has not formed. Facing the chaotic society and misery people, Confucian and Mohist scholars are worried and painful, they review the traditions, and want to explore the solution at the same time.Finally,they both set there sights on the absolutism.Confucian and mohism have different ideological attributes, different ways of solving problems, and distinct ideas of the ideal society, therefore, they both choose the road of despotism.Because the performance,the goals and approaches of Confucian and mohism are different, a systematic and in-depth comparative analysis about them is very necessary. Though comparing, we can more clearly see the different paths that they choose towards despotism.To a certain extent, it can reveals the common tendency about the Hundred schools in that period..In despotism performance,Confucian and mohist stressed that the monarch is the sovereign and unique people in the world, he has monopoly power and the highest decision-making rights. However, they also have some differences:Confucian translate the relationship between monarch and subjects into ethics relationship. The people see the monarch as there parents,Confucian emphasize that the monarch has all subjects and all wealth; Mohist emphasized that the monarch has the absolute authority in the thoughts,he can decide the rights and wrongs,and all the subjects must keep highly consistent with the monarch.Both Confucian and Mohist give the monarch highest supreme status and authority, however, the sovereign power should be have legal source and the monarch should be follow certain principles to strengthen his power. Confucian and Mohist also think that the power of the monarch comes from the mandate of heaven, and the monarch’s quality should be match their power. However, Confucian translate the destiny into the implementation of the monarch’s merits and quality to weak the role of heaven; Mohist thinks that monarchical legitimacy rest on heaven,they give the decision rights of legitimacy monarch to the heaven,That the monarch is eligible or not is judged by the heaven. As a result,the power of monarch becomes sacred and mysterious.In the method of absolutism maintenance, Confucian mainly adopts the virtue and ritual way, their method is warm; but Mohist claims external compulsory means. Confucian thinks that the maintenance of despotism depends on the differentiate between people. By the way of material satisfying and moral education, people can observe hierarchical order and satisfied with their position, they also fear the authority of the sovereign. Mohist want to establish a ruling group by wise man,This group can prompt the people to follow their emperor in thought and behavior by means of rewards and punishments, ultimately,they can achieve the purpose of despotism maintaining. In the relationship between monarch and officials,Confucian consider that minister should be assist monarch according to "Dao", they emphasize the interaction between the monarch and his subjects. Whereas Mohists hope that the subjects keep highly consistent with the monarch..Confucian and Mohist both point to supreme kingship, however, the political idea of them are not the same. Confucian hopes that monarch can create a hierarchical society. Mohism hopes that monarch has the supreme power and authority and all the people can follow their monarch both in thought and action,They want to realize the order of "same".when Confucianism and Mohism are founded, the difference in the performance of the absolutism,in the theory of monarchical legitimacy and the way and target of the monarchical power has produced,.Confucius and Mozi are the founder of the Confucianism and Mohism, their era background, thought origin and thinking mode are different, in a word, due to a series of reasons, Confucianism and Mohism walk into absolutism in different ways.