Delegated Authority

The general is the key to the army: he holds the lives of thousands of soldiers in suspense, determines the victory or defeat of war, and influences the rise and fall of the state. If the ruler does not hand the great power of reward and punishment to the general, it is like tying up a monkey’s hands and feet while demanding that it leap with agility, or like sealing Li Lou’s eyes while requiring him to distinguish colors—both are impossible. If the power of reward and punishment is manipulated by powerful ministers and the commanding general has no autonomous authority, then everyone will act merely for private advantage, and who will still have fighting spirit? Then even with the strategy of Yi Yin and Lü Shang and the achievements of Han Xin and Bai Qi, such a general could not protect himself. Therefore Sun Wu said: “When the general leads troops abroad, there are commands of the ruler that he need not accept.” Zhou Yafu said: “In the army, one hears only the general’s commands, not the Son of Heaven’s edicts.” Modern Application:The previous chapter, “Victory......