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Legalism -> Shang Jun Shu -> Elimination of Strength -> 4.2

A country that has no strength and that practises knowledge and cleverness,
will certainly perish;
使but a fearful people, stimulated by penalties, will become brave,
使and a brave people, encouraged by rewards, will fight to the death.
If fearful people become brave
and brave people fight to the death,
(the country will have no match); having no match, it will be strong,
and being strong it will attain supremacy.
使If the poor are encouraged by rewards, they will become rich,
使and if penalties are applied to the rich, they will become poor.
When in administrating a country one succeeds in making the poor rich
and the rich poor,
then the country will have much strength,
and this being the case, it will attain supremacy.
In a country that has supremacy, there are nine penalties as against one reward;
in a strong country, there will be seven penalties to three rewards,
and in a dismembered country, there will be five penalties to five rewards.


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