韓非子經濟思想在其全部思想占有重要地位。它包括：滿足「自止於足」需求的利民論﹔以社會分工為基礎的財富多元增殖論﹔以「富國以農」為綱領的農為本業論﹔以利「本務」為目的、而「少工商游食之民」的抑末論﹔以「儉於財用，節於飲食」為基本要求的官府作風論﹔用「俸足以給事」：「利必在祿」制約的傜賦論。韓非治理經濟有兩個主要政治手段：（一）法治：認為「治民無常，唯法為治」。「重罰嚴誅」是其法治的總綱；「刑過不避大臣，賞善不遺匹夫」是其執法的原則：「言小而功大者亦罰」是其法治思想的重要特色。（二）專制：主張君主要「虛靜無事，獨操主術」。認為「君臣之利弊」、「臣利而主利靈」。為此，他論述了選拔臣下的必要、原則、戒律以及駕馭臣下的種種手段，以期實現「明主無為於上，群臣竦懼乎下」的理想君臣關係。

　　　　　Han Fei Zi’s economic thinking was a prominent part of his doctrine, including the theory of benefiting people by meeting their self-content needs, the multiple and value-added theory about wealth based on the society’s division of labor, the theory about agriculture as the major, the theory about how to suppress the commercial careers as the minor in favor of the “major business”, the theory about frugality as the discipline of the bureaucracy, and the theory about sufficient salary. There are two political means for Han Fei Zi to manage economy: the rule of law and despotism. Regarding the former, the guideline for his rule of law was “tough laws and severe punishment,” the cross-class equality in rewards and punishments” was the principle for his practice of law, and the most important feature of his doctrine about the rule of law is “punishing the over-achievement.” Regarding the latter, he presented the requirements, principles, and commandments about selecting the subjects as well as the ruler’s means to lead them, in wishes to realize the ideal system for the ruler and his subjects.