an effort to advocate fairness (gongdao). The dialectical dialogue
between elites as expressed in public opinion over a specific case of
corruption can be said to be a modern manifestation of the struggle
between Confucianism and Legalism.
Conclusion
Although cultural factors may have an influence on social behavior,
the actual motivating factor for an individual social act is the pursuit
of personal interest. Hanfei’s focus on personal interest corresponds
to Max Weber’s ( 1978 ) viewpoint that social acts are always moti-
vated by one’s desire for certain benefits, while cultural ideas are like
the controller of a railroad who determines the direction of action.
This point can be further illustrated with an analogy by Karl Marx,
who said:
People construct their own history. But they are not constructing it in such
a condition that they may have an arbitrary choice. When people are busy
in reforming themselves as well as events around, they may appeal to the
soul of their ancestors, using their names, slogans, and clothes, putting
on their armor which has long been respected, and speaking in terms of
their language, to act out new phases of world history (Marx and Engels,
1965 : 121).
People in Confucian society, just like human beings in other cul-
tures, are driven by their personal desires to compete with others in
striving for various goals to satisfy their needs. The cultural traditions
of Confucianism and Legalism are the ‘‘names, slogans, clothes,
armor, and language’’ frequently used by Chinese to pursue their
personal goals. It remains to be seen how they act out the new phase
of their history.
Notes
1 Spring and Autumnis the annals of the state of Lu (722–484 BCE). The
chronicle history was written by Confucius who recorded and judged
people and historical events in an honest and strict way.
2 Guan Zhong, in Zhai ( 2005 : II, 818–847).
3 Hanfei,Zhudao[The way of the ruler], in Watson ( 1967 : 16–20).
4 Duyvendak ( 1963 ).
5 Xunzi, in Dubs ( 1972 : 24–47).
138 Kwang-kuo Hwang