Luciano Canfora. The Art of War: East and West

Following the collapse of the USSR, the notion that the West held the world’s destiny in its hands became firmly established. Furthermore, the ‘superiority’ of the West’s military potential has fuelled the belief that this is an expression of a more advanced political culture. And that this entitles us to ‘export democracy’ by force. The Chinese master Sun Tzu’s the art of war offers a different perspective, describing tactics and behaviour inspired not by aggression but by prudence.

Following the collapse of the USSR, the notion took hold that the West, led by the United States, held the fate of the world in its hands. The ‘superiority’ of the West’s military potential has also fuelled the belief that, ever since ancient Greece, it has been the expression of a more advanced political culture. And that this entitles us to “export democracy” by force. This contrasts with the Chinese master Sun Tzu’s view of the art of war, which describes tactics and behaviour inspired not by aggression but by prudence – perhaps also paying homage to the Eastern, and…