The Art of War Plus The Art of Politics: Strategy for Campaigns

Two books in one. This book contains the complete award-winning translation of Sun Tzu's The Art of War plus its line-by-line adaptation, The Art of Politics, applying Sun Tzu's proven principles to winning campaigns. The two versions, the original text and its application to politics, are shown side-by-side, line-by-line.

The purpose of this book is to introduce those involved in political campaigns to the strategic principles of Sun Tzu's The Art of War and their use in politics. In Sun Tzu's view, success goes not to the most aggressive but to those who best understand their situation and what their alternatives really are. When you have mastered Sun Tzu's system of strategy, you will be able to almost instantly analyze political situations, spot political opportunities, and make the appropriate decisions. This book addresses a range of challenges, including evaluating your supporters and voters, planning a campaign, adjusting to the local voters' specific needs, diagnosing a voter's behavior, and so on.

Sample Text (Chapter One, Stanzas 1-2)

Sun Tzu said:
This is war.
It is the most important skill in the nation.
It is the basis of life and death.
It is the philosophy of survival or destruction.
You must know it well.

The campaigner hears:
This is politics.
It is the most valuable skill in any nation.
It is the source of a nation's wealth or poverty.
It is a course to success or disaster.
You must study politics seriously.

Your skill comes from five factors.
Study these factors when you plan war.
You must insist on knowing your situation.
1. Discuss philosophy.
2. Discuss the climate.
3. Discuss the ground.
4. Discuss leadership.
5. Discuss military methods.

Using five factors determines your political success.
Consider all these factors when you analyze a given political race.
You use them to know your political position:
1. Talk about your political philosophy.
2. Talk about the changing political trends.
3. Talk about the politics of the geographical area.
4. Talk about each politician's talents.
5. And talk about your campaign process.

Table of Contents

Art of War
Art of Politics

Foreword: Using Strategy in Politics 9
Introduction: Sun Tzu's Basic Concepts 17
1 Analysis 24
Your Political Position 26
2 Going to War 38
Picking a Campaign 40
3 Planning an Attack 50
Your Political Ground 52
4 Positioning 62
Positions on Issues 64
5 Momentum 74
Creative Campaigning 76
6 Weakness and Strength 86
Your Voters' Needs 88
7 Armed Conflict 102
Contacting Voters 104
8 Adaptability 116
Campaign Adjustments 118
9 Armed March 126
Moving the Campaign Forward 128
10 Field Position 146
Campaign Positions 148
11 Types of Terrain 164
Campaign Stages 166
12 Attacking with Fire 190
Firestorms of Controversy 192
13 Using Spies 202
Political Intelligence 204
Glossary of Terms in The Art of War 216
Index of Topics in The Art of War 220
About the Authors