Confucius: Ethics Is a Higher Standard Than the Law

We often say that ethics is a higher standard than the law, but where does this idea come from? In the Chinese mind, it comes from none other than Confucius.

Confucius held that public affairs should be handled in light of ethical standards, thus shaping a systematic ideology of ruling with the aid of ethics. He believed that to rule a society by such means would foster among the people a sense of honor and shame, which would consciously keep them at a distance from criminality. lf the people were to be governed by decrees and ruled by punishment, still they might commit no offences, but would lose their sense of honor and shame. This clean record would be generated by “fear,” not “consciousness," on the part of the people, and therefore would be less commendable.