My occasional book the past few weeks has been Basic Writings of Mo Tzu, Hsün Tzu, and Han Fei Tzu (Columbia UP, 1967), translated by the great Burton Watson. The philosophical writing covers from about 400 to 233 BCE.

Han Fei is my least favorite; he was of noble birth, and if he were alive today he would have written editorials in support of a Cheney presidency:

As for the ruler’s shedding tears when punishments are carried out in accordance with the law—this is a fine display of benevolence but…benevolence cannot be used to achieve order in the state…. Duke Ai of Lu was a mediocre ruler, yet when he ascended the throne and faced south as sovereign of the state, there was no one within its boundaries who did not acknowledge allegiance to him. The people will bow naturally to authority, and he who wields authority may easily command men to submit; therefore Confucius remained a subject and Duke Ai continued to be his ruler….

And yet he has practical advice that couldn’t be timelier after echoing down through 2,200 years:

Nowadays, when scholars counsel a ruler, they do not urge him to wield authority, which is the certain way to success, but instead insist that he practice benevolence and righteousness before he can become a true king. This is, in effect, to demand that the ruler rise to the level [of righteousness] of Confucius, and that all the ordinary people of the time be like Confucius’ disciples. Such a policy is bound to fail.

If any political leader in our time has the capacity for both practical authority and humane righteousness, I believe he’s standing on the dais today, and I celebrate.