Harmony Among People

The principle of using troops lies in internal unity and harmony among people. When harmony among people is achieved, the soldiers will strive to fight without any additional urging. If generals and officers are suspicious of one another, if soldiers do not obey orders, if those who are loyal and resourceful are not employed, if the ranks gossip and criticize behind backs, and if slander and malice mutually breed, then even with the wisdom of Shang Tang and King Wu of Zhou, one could not defeat an ordinary man—let alone face a numerically superior enemy. Modern Application:The previous chapter, “The Way of War,” dealt with switching the grammar of action across different terrains. This chapter suspends all external conditions and points to a more fundamental variable: harmony among people is not morale; it is a state in which the stock of internal trust is sufficient for coordination to occur automatically. Zhuge Liang’s judgment has a precise contrast structure: on the positive side is “fighting of themselves without being urged”—no need for mobilization, no need......