"When the lord of the people abandons the law and relies on himself to govern, then punishments and rewards as well as firings and hirings will arise out of the lord's heart. If this is the case, then those who receive rewards, even if appropriate, will always expect more, and those who receive punishments, even if appropriate, will ceaselessly expect leniency. When the lord abandons the law and relies on his heart to make judgments"
"Thus, those who apportion horses draw lots, while those who apportion fields cast coins. It is not because coins or lots are wiser than men, but rather they are the means by which to get rid of private interests and block resentment. Therefore it is said, "Since a great lord employs the laws and does not personally act, affairs are decided by the law." That which the law confers is such that each by means of its divisions receives their"
Impersonal, publicly applied laws prevent favoritism by removing rulers' discretionary judgments over rewards, punishments, appointments, and dismissals. Random allocation methods like drawing lots for horses or casting coins for fields serve to eliminate private interests and block resentment. Reliance on fixed legal rules ensures that equal actions receive equal consequences, reducing expectations of extra rewards or leniency. When leaders defer to law rather than personal whim, subjects accept outcomes without expecting special favor, which diminishes grievances and fosters harmony between superiors and subordinates. Law-mediated decision-making stabilizes political order by aligning incentives and curbing arbitrary authority.
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