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
This book's award-winning translator and primary author, Gary Gagliardi, is America's leading authority on Sun Tzu's The Art of War. A frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, Gary has written fifteen books on strategy. Ten of his books on Sun Tzu's methods have won award recognition in business, self-help, career, sports, philosophy, multicultural, and youth nonfiction categories. Gary began studying Sun Tzu's philosophy over thirty years ago. His understanding of strategy was proven in the business world, where his software company became one of the Inc. 500 fastest-growing companies in America and won numerous business awards. After selling his software company, Gary began writing about and teaching Sun Tzu's strategic philosophy full time. Today he splits his time between Seattle and Las Vegas, living with his wife, Rebecca, and travels extensively for speaking engagements all over the world. Shawn R. Frost has published numerous articles on a variety of topics, and one previous book. He has appeared as an expert guest on many radio and local television news programs speaking on the topics of leadership, strategy, and politics. Shawn first discovered the power of Sun Tzu's The Art of War in 1995 at the recommendation of this mentor, Col. Pratt, in the Marine Corps while working in electronic counter-intelligence. The book completely altered the direction and quality of his life. After leaving the Marine Corps, Shawn founded a sales corporation that grew quickly using Sun Tzu's principles. After positioning his company for profitable sale, he decided to dedicate himself to deeply understanding Sun Tzu's strategy. In addition to his bachelor's in psychology and minor in Eastern philosophy and MBA in leadership, Shawn began studying with Gary Gagliardi at the Science of Strategy Institute. Shawn has worked on local political campaigns as a branding and strategy guide. At the time of publication he is in the midst of a local race as a candidate and is working on the political campaign workbook that will serve as a companion to this book. He lives in Vero Beach, Florida, with his lovely wife, Renee, and two fantastic kids.
