Qin Shi Huangdi, the emperor of the Chinese Qin Dynasty ( 221-206 B.C.E.), established a code of laws based on the philosophy of Legalism. Legalists believed that people should be controlled by a strong leader who uses harsh punishments. The code included severe punishments for serious crimes and lesser punishments for minor crimes, but all crimes carried some kind of punishment. Also, the code was complex and difficult to understand. In fact, so many things were illegal that people often did not know they had broken the law until they were arrested.

Question

Which statement is most likely true about how the Qin laws impacted society?
A.
Most people learned how to avoid breaking the law.
B.
The harsh laws caused the crime rate to decrease.
C.
Most people lived in constant fear of government officials.
D.
The harsh laws caused a rebellion against the government.

Answer 1

C. Most people lived in constant fear of government officials.

Given the nature of the legal system established by Qin Shi Huangdi, with harsh punishments and a complex set of laws that were difficult to understand, it is likely that the general populace lived in fear of unintentionally breaking the law and facing severe consequences.