Universal Amnesty

This chapter examines universal amnesty through a previously ignored lens of utopian discourse. Chinese scholars, particularly Confucians, articulated the ideal of a crime-free society as an intellectual foundation to support their teachings. However, their theoretical construct was appropriated by the Han emperors, who embraced this philosophical discourse as both an aspiration and a benchmark for their governance. Self-congratulatory emperors extolled their reigns as golden ages by granting amnesties, thereby temporarily transforming a tainted world plagued by wickedness into a realm devoid of criminals. Self-reflective emperors used frequent amnesties to acknowledge their inability to attain ultimate peace, promising a fresh start for their era as a way to secure their legitimacy. Contemporary scholars and officials recognized that frequent, widespread pardoning of criminals compromised the justice system. However, canceling crimes no longer merely aimed to pardon criminals but served as an instrumental strategy to re-establish a semblance of normality and thereby secure the legitimacy of the dynasty. To pursue a perfect society, Western Han politics became the enemy of good.