(MENAFN- Asia Times)
Come, you masters of war, you that build the big guns
You that build the death planes, you that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls, you that hide behind desks
I just want you to know I can see through your masks
– Bob Dylan
The historical Han Feizi of the second century BCE was China's greatest Legalist scholar, whose ideas the Qin Emperor used to consolidate the Chinese state for the first time. Westerners could do worse than think of Han Feizi as China's Niccolo Machiavelli. The similarities are uncanny despite a separation of 1,700 years and 8,000 kilometers.
Han Feizi has been making a comeback, becoming perhaps the third most discussed of China's ancient sages and philosophers – right behind Confucius and Sun Tzu. President Xi is surely responsible, invoking Han Feizi in speeches,“When those who uphold the law are strong, the state is strong. When they are weak, the state is weak.”
Xi's unyielding anti-corruption campaign draws from legalist tradition, wielding power through the punishment lever. But enough ink has been spilled on Han Feizi and the Legalists' influence on Xi's China.
Yours truly is more interested in what Han Feizi makes of the second coming of Donald Trump, what advice he would give the president-elect and what pitfalls he sees arrayed before America's populist and perhaps authoritarian sovereign.
For mysterious reasons, Asia Times has the ability to channel history's spirit world, conjuring the ghosts of Oswald Spengler and Cardinal Richelieu. It is now time that yours truly, after cosplaying the Legalist scholar for a year, does the esoteric seance and formally calls forth the Ghost of Han Feizi.
“Stay back, all of you. I've come for one person and one person only,” I yelled through the portal, Pingduoduo electric mosquito swatter in hand,“Not you Confucius, nor you, Xunzi – a gentleman scholar Donald J Trump is not. And Mozi... go away, you're totally useless. Maybe you can go comfort Kamala.”
“Y-y-you called for me?” Han Feizi said, as his apparition appeared behind the other sages,“A-a-after all these y-y-years? A-a-a-re m-m-m-my s-s-services r-r-r-required?”
“It's you,” I said,“It's really you! Yes, come, come... I've prepared a writing desk with silk parchment, brushes and ink. Don't talk. I know your stammer gets bad when you're nervous. Just write. We will take a picture of the manuscript and run it through Baidu translate when you're finished...
“Oh, taking a picture is when you... ummm... and Baidu translate is... uhhh... never mind... sit down... relax. Let me tell you what has happened in the past 2,200 years. Let me tell you about a new empire called the United States of America. And let me tell you about the rise to power of its latest emperor – the strange, strange tale of Donald J Trump...”
BAIDU TRANSLATION OF HAN FEIZI'S MANUSCRIPT
This new empire – this United States of America – has been expanding for almost 250 years. It's not so new at all. Forgive me for being impressed; if I recall correctly, the Qin Emperor dispatched me to the spirit world before I had a chance to witness the application of my life's work.
Most impressive about this Empire of the United States of America is that it has lasted 250 years without an emperor like Donald J Trump. The lands of the United States of America are truly blessed. When the land is bountiful and the people are few, husbands do not have to till the fields for the seeds of grass and the fruit of trees were enough for people to eat.
And wives do not have to weave for the skins of animals and birds provided sufficient clothing. There is an abundance of goods and so no one quarreled. Therefore no rich rewards were doled out. No harsh punishments were administered and yet the people themselves were orderly.
In my time, the Sinic-lands were already teaming with people and kingdoms and warlords. No one regarded five sons as a large number and these five sons in turn had five sons each so that before the grandfather has died, he has 25 grandchildren.
Hence the number of people increased, goods grew scarce and men had to struggle and slave for immediate living. Therefore they fell to quarreling and though rewards were doubled and punishments were piled on, they could not be prevented from growing disorderly.
This Empire of the United States of America had been feasting on the bounty of expansion – westward across a continent, into the ocean and right up against the Qin Empire's shores (which 2,200 years later is now called the People's Republic of Qin... not too shabby of me, if I do say so myself).
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