Resumen
Resumen de El arte de la guerra
Para quién es
For readers who like sharp, practical maxims, for managers, negotiators and competitors who think in plans and positions, and for anyone curious how an ancient soldier thought about winning.
De qué trata este libro
What if the wisest general never has to fight? Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese author of The Art of War, says exactly that. In thirteen short chapters he treats war as a matter of planning, cost, deception, ground and information. He writes for his patron Ho Lu, king of the State of Wu. You begin with his first claim: war must be studied before it is waged.
En este resumen
- 1Count the cost and plan before you fightFree
- 2The best victory is won without fighting
- 3Make yourself unbeatable, then wait for openings
- 4Strike where the enemy is weak and unready
- 5Move with speed, and understand morale
- 6Read the ground and the signs, then lead your men
- 7Use fire with care, stay calm, and pay for spies
Idea clave 1 de 7
Count the cost and plan before you fight
Sun Tzu opens by saying that war is a matter of life and death for a state, so it must be studied. He names five factors every general must weigh: the Moral Law, which means harmony between ruler and people, then Heaven, Earth, the commander and discipline.
Then he turns these into seven questions for comparing two sides. Which ruler has the loyalty of his people? Which general is abler? Who holds better ground and season? Which army is stronger, better trained, and fairer in reward and punishment? A general who makes many calculations in his temple before the battle wins, and one who makes few loses. Chapter two adds the price tag: an army of a hundred thousand men costs a thousand ounces of silver every day.
For you, the lesson is to measure before you commit. Long campaigns drain the treasury and invite rivals to strike. So Sun Tzu urges speed and living off the enemy's land, since one cartload of his food is worth twenty carried from home.
That’s 1 of 7 key points.
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About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 57,000 words
- Reading timeAbout 3 h 45 min
- FormatseBook, large-print eBook, audiobook, 15-minute summary
- LanguagesEnglish and 10 other languages
Questions about El arte de la guerra
What is The Art of War about?
It is a treatise on strategy in thirteen chapters. It covers planning, cost, deception, speed, terrain, morale, fire and the use of spies, with the aim of winning while risking and spending as little as possible.
Who was Sun Tzu?
Sun Tzu is the traditional name of the author, a Chinese military thinker. The treatise was written for Ho Lu, king of the State of Wu. Commentators explore his teaching through examples from many centuries of warfare.
What is the main message of The Art of War?
The best victory is won without fighting. Prepare thoroughly, know yourself and your enemy, strike where he is unready, avoid long wars, and never act from anger. Planning and information matter more than force.
Can The Art of War be applied to business and daily life?
Its focus is war, but its ideas on preparation, timing and adapting to circumstances offer readers ways to think about other contests. The emphasis is on understanding your own position as well as your opponent's.
Is The Art of War easy to read?
Its sayings are short and vivid, with chapters that explore subjects such as terrain, spies and fire. Images like water, wind and a rolling stone make the ideas easy to remember and follow.