Question

Differences and similarities between confucianism and legalism

Answer 1

"Legalism" was a system of pure power.  It is almost the direct opposite from what "legalism" would mean in a Western context: it ignored tradition and had little concern with justice.  "Regulators" would be a better translation.
 
Confucianism was the opposite, concerned with tradition and also justice, though it took it for granted that "justice" included superiority of men over women, the old over the young and the educated over peasants and craftsmen.
 
Both creeds downplayed the supernatural, but Confucianism encouraged traditional rituals without worrying about what they meant.
 
One other interesting fact - there was a similarity in outlook between "Legalism" and "Dhaoism" (Taoism), though the most familiar forms of Dhaoism reject power.
 
It's also not certain how distinct the different "schools" were.  Most of what we know comes from scholars in the Han Dynasty, founded by a successful rebel against the short-lived Qin dynasty.
 
Some experts have suggested that the rulers always included Legalist ideas in their own thinking, while keeping Confucianism as the official creed.  Legalism encouraged subordinates to rebel.  A government needs to seem to be just, even if it in fact is not.


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Answer 2

Legalism" was a system of pure power. It is almost the direct opposite from what "legalism" would mean in a Western context: it ignored tradition and had little concern with justice. "Regulators" would be a better translation.

Confucianism was the opposite, concerned with tradition and also justice, though it took it for granted that "justice" included superiority of men over women, the old over the young and the educated over peasants and craftsmen.

Both creeds downplayed the supernatural, but Confucianism encouraged traditional rituals without worrying about what they meant.

One other interesting fact - there was a similarity in outlook between "Legalism" and "Dhaoism" (Taoism), though the most familiar forms of Dhaoism reject power.

It's also not certain how distinct the different "schools" were. Most of what we know comes from scholars in the Han Dynasty, founded by a successful rebel against the short-lived Qin dynasty.

Some experts have suggested that the rulers always included Legalist ideas in their own thinking, while keeping Confucianism as the official creed. Legalism encouraged subordinates to rebel. A government needs to seem to be just, even if it in fact is not.