are comparable with the ancient Greek dialecticians and Sophists. They
saw their main task in the development of logic. Since, as we have
mentioned, many "scholars" journeyed from one princely court to another,
and other people came forward, each recommending his own method to the
prince for the increase of his power, it was of great importance to be
able to talk convincingly, so as to defeat a rival in a duel of words on
logical grounds.

Unquestionably, however, the most important school of this period was
that of the so-called Legalists, whose most famous representative was
Shang Yang (or Shang TzÅ­, died 338 B.C.). The supporters of this school
came principally from old princely families that had lost their feudal
possessions, and not from among the so-called scholars. They were people
belonging to the upper class who possessed political experience and now
offered their knowledge to other princes who still reigned. These men
had entirely given up the old conservative traditions of Confucianism;
they were the first to make their peace with the new social order. They
recognized that little or nothing remained of the old upper class of
feudal lords and their following. The last of the feudal lords collected
around the heads of the last remaining princely courts, or lived quietly
on the estates that still remained to them. Such a class, with its moral
and economic strength broken, could no longer lead. The Legalists
recognized, therefore, only the ruler and next to him, as the really
active and responsible man, the chancellor; under these there were to be
only the common people, consisting of the richer and poorer peasants;
the people's duty was to live and work for the ruler, and to carry out
without question whatever orders they received. They were not to discuss
or think, but to obey. The chancellor was to draft laws which came
automatically into operation. The ruler himself was to have nothing to
do with the government or with the application of the laws. He was only