| Calculation of Land: |
A sage, therefore, in organizing a country causes the people in home affairs to adhere to agriculture, and in foreign affairs to scheme for war. Now, agriculture makes the people suffer hardships, and war makes them run dangers, and the means whereby they can be led to encounter hardships and to perform actions that expose them to danger, is calculation. For the people, when alive, scheme for profit, and when in danger of death, are anxious for fame. It is necessary to examine whence fame and profit spring. If the profit comes from the soil, then people will use their strength to the full; if fame results from war, then they will fight to the death. Now if, at home, the people are directed to use their strength to the full, then the fields will not lie fallow; and if, abroad, they are directed to fight to the death, then they conquer their enemies. If enemies are conquered and at the same time fields do not lie fallow, then without moving, the result will be obtained of having both wealth and strength. |
