《商君书》也称《商子》，现存26篇，是战国时期法家学派的代表作之一，是中国家喻户晓的人物商鞅及其后学的著作汇编。《商君书》着重论述商鞅一派在当时秦国施行的变法理论和具体措施。《商君书》论述了大量愚民政策以及法家士子为帝王稳固政权，剥夺百姓人权的观点。例如：《商君书》中认为国家与人民是矛盾的关系。人民强大，则国家虚弱。所以想要国家强大，则必须削弱人民。[1]能够战胜强敌、称霸天下的国家，必须制服本国的人民。[2]只有使人民愚昧无知、朴实忠厚，人民才不易结成强大的力量来对抗国家和君主，这样国家才会容易治理，君主的地位才会牢固。《商君书》中认为人性本恶，必须承认人之恶性，治理国家要以恶治善才能使国家强大。[4]《商君书》中主张重刑轻赏，他认为加重刑罚，减少奖赏，是君主爱护民众，民众就会拼命争夺奖赏；增加奖赏，减轻刑罚，是君主不爱护民众，民众就不会为奖赏而拼死奋斗。
《古代寓言·黄金万两》
齐人有东郭敬者，犹多愿，愿有万金。其徒请赒焉，不与，曰：“吾将以求封也” 。其徒怒而去之宋，曰：“此爱于无也，故不如以先与之有也。”
——《商子》
Ten Thousand Taels of Gold
In the state of Qi there was one Mr. Dongguo Chang who was a man ambitions. Among other things, he wanted to possess ten thousand tales of gold.
A student of his, knowing of this ambition, asked to be favoured with a small sum, for he was very poor.
Mr. Dongguo Chang refused to grant his request. "I need all my money to buy myself a post in the government," he said.
His student became angry and left for the state of Song. Before he went he said to the teacher, "Since I shall have no share in the fortunes that you are coveting, I'd better seek them elsewhere. Maybe I can come by them earlier than you do."
Shang Zi
