Han Feizi – Chapter 48.2

One person’s strength cannot match the multitude, and one person’s wisdom cannot exhaust all things. Rather than relying on one individual, it is better to employ the whole state. Thus personal intelligence is matched, and the multitude of things is overcome. When a proposal fits the situation, the ruler gains from it; when it does not, the proposer bears the blame.

An inferior ruler exhausts his own ability; a middling ruler exhausts the strength of others; a superior ruler exhausts the wisdom of others. Therefore, when affairs arise, the ruler gathers intelligence, listens to each proposal separately, and then brings them together for public comparison. If listening is not unified, later statements will contradict earlier ones; when later statements contradict earlier ones, foolishness and wisdom cannot be distinguished. If proposals are not publicly compared, the ruler will hesitate and fail to decide; if he fails to decide, affairs will stagnate. By establishing a single standard himself, the ruler avoids being dragged into ruin by his ministers.

Hence he lets them present their views; once the views are fixed, he may express anger at their failures. When words are presented, they must be recorded. Those whose wisdom is gathered are tested when events occur; those whose ability is gathered are judged by whether their plans succeed or fail. When success and failure are evident, rewards and punishments follow. If affairs succeed, the ruler takes the credit; if plans fail, the minister bears the guilt.

A ruler does not personally verify even the matching of tallies, much less exert physical force himself. He does not personally manage every exercise of intelligence, much less carry every burden himself. Thus, in employing people, he does not seek uniform agreement; if all agree, the ruler should be alarmed. If he makes ministers employ and check one another, the ruler appears spirit-like, and subordinates exhaust their capacities. When subordinates exhaust their capacities, they do not merely depend on the ruler, and the ruler’s way is complete.

Note

This Han Feizi ‑ Chapter 48.2 states top‑grade rulers harness collective wisdom instead of personal power. Ministers’ proposals are recorded, tested against outcomes. Uniform consensus arouses suspicion; ministers should monitor one another under fixed standards.

Using one state rather than one person:

Han Fei argues that rulers should not rely on personal effort or personal cleverness. The state’s institutions, records, and many officials should do the work.

Separate listening and public comparison (一听而公会):

The ruler hears each minister separately to prevent collusion, then compares their statements. This is an early form of administrative accountability.

Recorded proposals (策籍):

Ministers must put their plans in writing. Later, actual outcomes are compared with earlier promises. This prevents empty talk and shifting excuses.

Success brings credit to the ruler, failure brings blame to the minister:

This is a typical Legalist technique. The ruler sets standards and judges results, while ministers bear responsibility for execution.

Matching tallies (合符):

Ancient Chinese rulers used split tallies or tokens to verify orders and authority. Han Fei says even such verification should be handled through procedure, not by the ruler doing everything personally.

Uniform agreement as danger (同则君怒):

In Han Fei’s view, if all ministers say the same thing, it may signal factional agreement or flattery. The ruler should prefer verifiable performance over superficial consensus.

　　二、主道

　　力不敌众，智不尽物。与其用一人，不如用一国，故智力敌而群物胜。揣中则私劳，不中则任过。下君尽己之能，中君尽人之力，上君尽人之智。是以事至而结智，一听而公会。听不一则后悖于前，后悖于前则愚智不分；不公会则犹豫而不断，不断则事留。自取一，则毋道堕壑之累。故使之讽，讽定而怒。是以言陈之曰，必有策籍。结智者事发而验，结能者功见而谋成败。成败有征，赏罚随之。事成则君收其功，规败则臣任其罪。君人者合符犹不亲，而况于力乎？事智犹不亲，而况于悬乎？故非用人也不取同，同则君怒。使人相用则君神，则下尽。下尽下，则臣上不因君，而主道毕矣。