Sun Tzu Li Quan and Du Mu. Of the military texts written before the unification of China and Shi Huangdi's subsequent book burning in the second century BC, six major works have survived. During the much later Song dynasty, these six works were combined with a Tang text into a collection called the "Seven Military Classics". As a central part of that compilation, "The Art of War" formed the foundations of orthodox military theory in early modern China. Illustrating this point, the book was required reading to pass the tests for imperial appointment to military positions. Sun Tzu's The "Art of War"
Leadership trust results in folly. Dependence on the strength of courage results in violence. Excessive discipline and sternness in command result in cruelty. When one has all five virtues together, each appropriate to its function, then one can be a leader. — Sun Tzu Machiavelli's "The Prince", written in the early 16th century, provided a manual for rulers ("princes" or "tyrants" in Machiavelli's terminology) to gain and keep power.In the 19th century the elaboration of anarchist thought called the whole concept of leadership into question. (Note that the "Oxford English Dictionary" traces the word "leadership" in English only as far back