The Ideology of “Rule By Virtue” and “Rule By Law” in Confucianism and the model of the Socialist Rule of Law State in Vietnam

This study examines the philosophical structure of the Confucian concepts “rule by virtue” (德治) and “rule by law” (法治) through classical textual interpretation and conceptual analysis, and evaluates how these principles interact with the contemporary model of the socialist rule of law state in Vietnam. The research clarifies the normative foundation of Confucian political philosophy, analyzes the compatibility between Confucian ethical governance and socialist legal constitutionalism, and identifies how traditional values can contribute to modern governance. The findings demonstrate that Confucian virtue-based governance provides ethical foundations for cultivating public morality, while Confucian conceptions of law offer insights into normative order. The study contributes a philosophical framework for understanding how traditional East Asian moral–legal structures can be adapted to strengthen modern legal institutions