李斯問孫卿子曰：秦四世有勝，兵強海內，威行諸侯，非以仁義為之也，以便從事而已。

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Li Si interrogated Sun Qingzi[1], saying, "Qin has been victorious for four generations - a military power within the four seas, swaying the sovereign lords through intimidation rather than the application of moral benevolence, pursuing pure self-interest in the conduct of its affairs."[2]

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[1] That is Xunzi, who went by various other names at different times. Xunzi was a pessimistic Confucian philosopher, believing that human nature tends naturally towards self-seeking behaviour, but can be reformed through effort.

[2] In this discussion Li Si is one of a series of interlocutors who serve as foils for Xunzi to express his belief that soft power is more effective than hard, and that the exercise of military force is counter-productive if it alienates the populations who suffer as a result. It is noteworthy that later in the text Xunzi partially comes around to Li Si's viewpoint, saying that "If Qin has been victorious for four generations, this is not down to luck but for practical reasons." He nevertheless maintains that while Qin's approach to government had much to recommend it, its rejection of scholars would be its downfall.