Confucius was born in the small Chinese state of Lu in 551 BCE, in the middle of the Spring and Autumn period (771 to 479 BCE) -- the apex of cultural development in Chinese history. Confucius received the traditional Chinese education and developed an interest in the imperial administration. Motivated by political ambition, Confucius traveled from state to state teaching his political views. He believed that Chinese society had crumbled and nobility had became corrupt. Consequently, he preached about the importance of virtue and wisdom. While he did convince some, Confucius was more often ignored or mocked. Although he is not a primary or sole author to any scholastic works, Confucius’ philosophies are connect with many. Unlike the many great minds of the Axial Age, Confucius
left no great work of literature or academia after his death in 479 BCE.
However, Confucius’ teachings extended to a small group of disciples after
his death. In his posthumous years, these disciples diligently devoted
themselves to documenting statements and observations made by Confucius
while he was alive. This meticulous task resulted in The Analects
as one reads it today: a collection of memorized quotes given to the disciples
from their “Master.” In addition to the proverbial statements and
philosophies for effective government and social harmony recorded in The
Analects, Confucius emphasizes the ideal qualities of a noble man.
The Chinese title given to The Analects is Lun Yü
. Although translation precludes absolute agreement on its English
equivalent, we derive “selected” from Lun, and “sayings” or “words” from
Yü. Since Confucius’ death, Lun Yü has fixed the
moral and political provisions of a virtuous leader, not only in China,
but Japan and Korea as well; it has served eastern civilization with the
direct requirements for an effective and harmonious society.
Although unique in his contributions to the East, Confucius is not the
only significant political philosopher to so candidly articulate the virtues
of a good leader. Nearly twenty centuries later a Western political
philosopher sought to save his beloved country from monarchical ruin.
Bolstered by similar political ambition, Niccolò Machiavelli produced
a western paragon of ideal leadership in The Prince.
Niccolò Machiavelli was born in 1469 to a middle
class lawyer and country family in the hills of Florence, Italy.
Machiavelli blossomed into a prolific writer inspired by the huge explosion
of the humanities and ebullience of the Renaissance in 16th century Italy.
At a relatively young age, Machiavelli’s accomplishments already included
numerous works of literature, drama 
and
political satires. Unlike Confucius, Machiavelli’s political
ambition led to a position in the Italian government. As Secretary
of the Republic, he was required to maintain diplomatic connections with
other countries, serve as chief of the military and government council
in Florence. Although he was required to document his business during
assignments away from the capital, most of Machiavelli’s correspondence
was with friends in Florence. The pith of these revised letters resulted
in The Prince. Compiled into one work, Machiavelli intended
The
Prince for Lorenzo de’Medici, the prince of Italy. However, Machiavelli’s
fortuitous political opinions preceded him and impetuously led to his banishment
in 1512. With the fall of the Republic and seizure of power by the
Medici family, Machiavelli was exiled for a year. After one week he was
accused of conspiring a clandestine plot against the family, arrested,
tortured and ironically found innocent. His castigation prohibited
participating in any future form of political activity, though he obstinately
rewrote chapters of The Prince up to his death in 1527.
The Prince was finally published in 1532, accompanied by a lucidly
opinionated letter to Prince Lorenzo addressing the need for a more powerful
and virtuous leader. Machiavelli’s definition of virtue is quite
different from that of Confucius. Although similar in some respects,
Confucius’ noble man possesses more altruistic characteristics than those
specified by Machiavelli.
would
maintain a peaceful and unified society. If everyone could strive
to become more like a junzi, harmony would result; laws and punishments
would be unnecessary. Historian Leonard Hsü explains that
to Confucius, the success of the state depended on the personal qualities
of the emperor. These qualities, he explains, are of “vital importance
to the political unity and proper political organization…the emperor is
the model for the nation and so the people are likely to imitate him” (Hsü
77). Moreover, Confucius explains how the people will follow a government
if the leader has attained proper virtue. He says, “If you desire
what is good, the people will at once be good. The essence of a gentleman
is that of the wind; the essence of the small people is that of the
grass. And when a wind passes over the grass, it cannot choose but
bend” (Waley 158). Thus, with a paragon of virtue leading the people,
society would strive to follow his example. If all citizens lived
as a junzi, violence would transform into infinite peace and structure
in the state.