elines. Confucius stated that the ideal person was one of good moral character. The ideal person was also truly reverent in worship and sincerely respected his father and his ruler. He was expected to think for himself, guided by definite rules of conduct. As Confucius said, he was expected to take "as much trouble to discover what was right as lesser men take to discover what will pay". Confucius believed that this type of behavior by rulers had a greater effect on the people than did laws or codes of punishment. So when these types of people were rulers, their moral example would inspire the people to lead good lives. Confucius died sometime around 479 B.C., and his philosophy was not very well known. If it weren't for his disciples his ideas would probably still be unknown. Confucius never wrote anything down himself; his disciples wrote all of his sayings down in a collection of books called the Analects. These contain all that modern day man knows about Confucius.Confucius idea of Confucianism about government is like similar to his idea about Ren. He believes government should be based upon virtue, and should operate for the benefit of the people just as parents naturally care for their children. Good government is not the government, which makes the nation powerful, wealthy and superman in arms, holding other people in subjugation. Nor is it the government. Which is efficient, feared and obeyed by the people. On the contrary, the best government is one that loves the people and is loved by the people, and whose politics re based upon benevolence and righteousness. The first requirement of benevolent government is the rule of virtue. “As a teacher of political morality, Confucius emphasized the point that government was subject to the same ethical rules that apply to individuals.” (12:1) He did not separate ethics from politics, nor did he advocate the theory that the end justifies the means. “Confucius de...
