Art of war, and leadership: updates

[Sanjeev Sabhlok <sabhlok@almaak.usc.edu>]

Just two small things:

a) The Art of War is available at:
	
	http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/thigpen/html/art_of_war.html

Some terrific quotes from this old Chinese man:

"...victorious forces first acheive victory and then conduct battle; 
losing forces first conduct battle and then seek victory."

It seems to me that what we must do is to set out the policies that will
give India victory, and then, once people are convinced of these policies,
the implementation (battle) can be done quickly. On the other hand, if we
try to battle first without being very clear how the victory will be
worked out, then that strategy will fail.

"The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without
fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good
service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom."

It appears that the lesson here is that the advance of the ideas has to
be in terms of sole dedication for the victory of India, and its ultimate
cross-over as the richest nation in the world. The task is arduous and
long - more than a hundred years of high growth will have to pass for that
to happen. Clearly, any personal "covetousness" will be inimical to
India's interest.

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence;
supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without
fighting." 

This has been discussed earlier but not the specific quote. Clear
implication: build a public platform and consensus which compels the good
people in India to join hands together against the evil system, by
offering resistance if need be, till the will of the enemy breaks. 

"The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple
before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few
calculations beforehand."

This is precisely what IndiaPolicy is: a trip to the 'temple' of thought. 
Each of you represents a serious, dedicated brain, concerned about India's
future. That is the kind of temple that one needs to sit in and think,
clearly, first. 

-=-=-=
Other good stuff from others while browsing the web:

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with
an expectation that they can make it work or make it better." Barbara
Pletcher

"I will prepare and some day my chance will come." Abraham Lincoln

"Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation." 
Robert H. Schuller ~


b) I modified the stuff on the "Plan of Action" page to read as follows
(the earlier version was rather crude and perhaps not quite respectful to
the great strategist and leader, Gandhi)

A leader is one who knows where he wants to go, and gets up, and goes
(John Erskine). When Gandhi was kicked out of a train in South Africa, he
simply decided that oppression based on race had to go from the world. 
Nobody told him to take responsibility for the world's racial oppression.
He simply took it upon himself. A hundred years down the road, not only
did he succeed in booting out the British from India, but his followers,
Mandela and King, wiped out racial oppression in other parts of the globe.
That's all it takes. To get up and go. 

And remember, Gandhi was a very ordinary man, intellectually.  Gandhi
rightly said, and this will always remain true: "I claim to be no more
than an average man with less than average ability [and we know that for
sure since Gandhi never lied] ... Nor can I claim any special merit for
what I have been able to achieve with laborious research [all he did was
read Thoreau and figure out a strategy to retaliate with a very mighty
kick for the racial oppressors through non-violence]. I have not the
shadow of doubt that any man or woman can achieve what I have, if he or
she would make the same effort and cultivate the same hope and faith."

As usual, you know that my language can do with improvement. Please
propose a 'finer' version so that the kinks in my expression are removed.

Well, that's it for the night.

SS



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