Five Factors To Consider

I. Laying Plans


3. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
4. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.
5, 6. The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
7. Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.
8. Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
9. The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness.
10. By Method and discipline are to be understood the marshalling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the gradations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.
11. These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.


The Art of War's every passage relates to these five conditions in some way or another. Therefore, in order to understand the rest of our text, we will have to understand the basic five conditions.

Note that the descriptions I am about to give are hardly excellent or complete. When one attempts to apply the tactics of war to other aspects of life, as with any such metaphor, the translation will leave something to be desired. To the best of my knowledge, however, this should be a satisfactory translation for our purposes.

The Moral Law is the unifying spirit that binds your organization together. It lays out plainly what is good and right for the organization, and by mutual exclusivity what is neither good nor right. He who sets and abides by the Moral Law will unite his followers; he who consistently breaks the Moral Law, or who does not define it clearly, will divide his forces and fade.

Heaven consists of the conditions you cannot control. No one can change the day to night, nor the cold to heat. The seasons pass in their cycle; no one can slow their passage for even a single day. The rains will come and the sun will shine completely heedless of your designs. The heaven, then, is that which must be appreciated as it is and considered in one's planning for any chance at success.

Earth is that which is knowable and controllable. One can work at great distance from home or close by. One can choose to stand in the narrow passes or the open plains. One may camp upon the mountains or rest in the valleys. It is that which can be calculated: the chances of victory and the odds of surviving. Earth, therefore, is the physical and philosophical ground we choose to plan around and act upon.

The Commander is the leader of the people. He unifies his troops with the Moral Law, and he is respected by all who follow him. He is both strict in applying discipline and benevolent in rewarding ingenuity. He is courageous in the face of adversity and wise in choosing his battles. He proves himself trustworthy, and so earns his people's trust.

Method and discipline are the tactics the organization must follow. These are the rules that govern all operations, from planning and discussion to action and reflection. Those who follow a clear and simple code are united by a common bond and certain in their ways; those who live in chaos are separate and easily overcome. In operating with consistency and discipline, doing everything in careful detail, the organization is united and strong.