Xunzi, a great philosopher and statesman in ancient China, expounded his unique political ideas and views on the Qin state in his book Xunzi. He firmly believed that human nature was inherently evil and advocated changing people's behavior through education and social institutions.
In terms of political philosophy, Xunzi believed that the monarch should take morality as the norm and abide by the principle of justice and fairness. He believed that the success of a country depended on whether the monarch could truly care about the interests of the people. For the people, they should follow the etiquette and respect the social order, and at the same time, they need to actively participate in public affairs.
However, Xunzi also criticized the Qin state. He wrote in the "Persuasion of Learning": "The Qin people were strong because their laws were strict and effective. This shows that he was skeptical of Qin's strict legal system. In his view, overly draconian laws can lead to a loss of confidence in the rule of law, leading to chaos and unrest.
In addition, Xunzi also criticized the cultural policies of the Qin state. He argues that although Qin Shi Huang promoted a unified script and weights and measures, this did not eliminate cultural differences between regions, but rather exacerbated regional conflicts. Therefore, he emphasized the diversity and equality of cultures, and encouraged people to respect different cultures and ideas.
Xunzi's political philosophy is a harmonious social order based on morality. He believes that both the ruler and the ruled should do their part to maintain this order. At the same time, he questioned some of the practices of the Qin dynasty, especially its overly strict and homogeneous laws and regulations, as well as its cultural policies.