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Is Sun Tzu Art of War Ethical To Use?
- by J. Khoo @ Mr Art of War
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Is The Art of War by Sun Tzu ethical?
Is it morally bad to learn? Is it teaching the right way?
In this topic, I will cover the good side and, at the end, the bad side of Sun Tzu's Art of War.
Sun Tzu lived during a turmoil era when many of states within the Zhou dynasty were in conflict with each other to acquire more power and territory.
From Sun Tzu's experience, he has seen violence, people becoming poor, prices of goods increasing, and loss of life from war.
He believe there are a better way to win the war.
So he wrote his "Art of War book".
Conflict during Sun Tzu's era was inevitable, but how should one manage such situations? Similarly, in today's world, whether in life, career, or business, we face competition. How should we address it?
Table of contents:
Is Sun Tzu Art of War Ethical To Use?
To decide whether Sun Tzu's Art of War is ethical or not, perhaps we can take a look at his principles in war. And we can reflect the use of his principles in our competition in the our career, business or life.
Here are Sun Tzu's thoughts on ethics and morals for the Art of War leader:
1. War involves matters of life and death, requiring a lot of consideration.
In his very first sentence in Sun Tzu's book, he quotes,
The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a situation on life and death, a road to safety or to ruin. It is a subject of inquiry that needs to be studied carefully
The use of military force involves destruction of lives and damages to the kingdom.
Sun Tzu is very prudent and serious in making decisons in any warfare. The use of military force need to be studied carefully. This message is addressed to the ruler of the state to consider the consequences before any actions.
Sun Tzu said,
Those who understands the damages of war, will know how to profit from it.
The leader who knows what damage war can do will know how to approach it cautiously with the right strategy.
2. The leader should control his emotions.
Sun Tzu reminds leaders a few times in his book, not to let emotions blurs one's decision. Decisions to go to battle got to be based on strategic considerations.
He quotes,
No ruler should put troops into the field because of his anger; no general should fight a battle because he is irritated.
This is because in the past, many kingdoms have turned to ruins, and the kingdom never recovered from the wrong decisions made, all because of the anger of the ruler who was offended or irritated.
Sun Tzu quotes,
A kingdom that has once ruined can never be restored, nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.
Overcome the enemy by wisdom, not brute force alone.
This is the foundation of Sun Tzu's principle in warfare. Sun Tzu sees war as not only a competition between military forces, but a conflict intertwined with politics, economics, and diplomacy.
The use of the military depletes the state's resources, causes suffering amongst the people in the state, and results in casualties of soldiers. Sun Tzu believes in employing political strategy and economics to defeat the enemy.
4. The purpose of war is to gain economic benefits, not to incite violence.
Sun Tzu said,
The objective is to be victorious in war; If it is a prolonged war, the men's weapons will grow dulled, your ardor will be dampened. And the siege will exhaust your strength.
He also said,
The killing of the enemy is because of a burst of rage, but to take advantage of defeating the enemy is to gain over their wealth. The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept.
Sun Tzu holds the view that it is ethical in warfare to minimize casualties and reduce the suffering of the populace. The goal is to be victorious and to gain wealth over the enemy through quick and decisive battles.
5. Maximise profit from the battle by not destroying the enemy.
Sun Tzu said,
In the practical art of war, the best thing is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; shattering and destroying it is not so good. So, too, it is better to capture an army entirely than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment, or a company entirely than to destroy them.
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
The objective is to subdue the enemy without the need or minimal need of military force.
Sun Tzu believes war can be victorious with the deployment of a combination of politics, economics, diplomacy, and military force.
Lessons from Sun Tzu: Leadership, Ethics, and the Parallels Between War and Business
War and business share significant similarities, requiring strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership skills.
Sun Tzu, as a strategist, provides insights in his Art of War book on leadership and ethics, highlighting virtues such as benevolence, morality, fairness, and justice as key to success.
In "The Art of War," he highlights the importance of a leader's character, stating that ethical leadership cultivates loyalty and trust, which are vital in both warfare and business.
The misuse of power leads to downfall, a lesson relevant in modern business where neglecting ethics can result in organizational failure.
Sun Tzu's life, influenced by the Zhou dynasty's conflicts, highlights the lasting importance of his principles. His teachings guide leaders to prioritize ethics, fostering loyalty and sustainable success which we can apply in today's competitive environment.
A notable example is the Emperor of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang Di. He achieved victory in all his battles through extremely harsh means, resulting in the deaths of millions of soldiers and civilians. After Qin Shi Huang conquered and unified ancient China to establish the Qin dynasty, his reign lasted only 17 years.
The reason was that despite being the Emperor, he was not accepted by the people. Although he was successful in his conquests, he failed in terms of morals and ethics in warfare. This is why his kingdom was short-lived.
That's why Sun Tzu covers the topic on the importance of the morals of ruler and the commander.
The bad side of Sun Tzu's Art of War
In Sun Tzu's book, he talks about the need to be secretive and silence.
The divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you, we learn to be invisible and silent, he is the master of the enemy's fate.
Sun Tzu talks about spies within his organisation and the need to be secretive so no one can disrupt his plans.
However, while the wisdom of keeping one's strategies and objectives under wraps can undoubtedly yield benefits, there is a darker side to this approach that warrants consideration. In the realm of our lives—whether in personal relationships, career paths, or business ventures—there is a fine line between prudent discretion and excessive secrecy.
While it is often wise to keep certain plans confidential to protect them from sabotage or premature exposure, an overemphasis on secrecy can lead to a detrimental mindset.
If one becomes overly secretive, it can spiral into a state of paranoia. This mindset fosters an environment of distrust, where every interaction is scrutinized, and every relationship is questioned.
Such an atmosphere can lead to isolation, as one become hesitant to share ideas or collaborate with others for fear of betrayal or undermining. In the business world, this could manifest as a reluctance to engage in teamwork or open communication, stifling innovation and creativity. In personal relationships, it can create barriers that prevent genuine connection and understanding.
While Sun Tzu's teachings on secrecy and subtlety provide valuable insights into strategic thinking, they also serve as a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of taking these principles to an extreme.
Is is essential to strike a balance between the strategic use of secrecy and the openness is important.
The importance of ethics in Sun Tzu Art of War
Leadership power sustenance is earned through benevolence, ethics and morals. It is the duty of the ruler to oversee the interests and well-being of the populace.
Sun Tzu's principles in "The Art of War" emphasize that victory should be attained through wisdom rather than brute force, with a focus on economic benefits over aggression.
He promotes reducing devastation, aiming to conquer opponents through political and diplomatic means.
His military principles emphasize the importance of moral leadership, which fosters loyalty and trust, crucial for achieving success in both warfare and business.
