American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
140
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajsshr
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue07 2025
PAGE NO.
140-142
10.37547/ajsshr/Volume05Issue07-27
24
Roots and Interpretations of The Philosophy of
Stratagems
Urinboyev Davlatjon Baxtiyorovich
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philosophical Sciences, Uzbekistan
Received:
31 May 2025;
Accepted:
29 June 2025;
Published:
31 July 2025
Abstract:
The study of stratagems has deep historical roots, extending from ancient Eastern and Western
civilizations to contemporary philosophical thought. This paper explores the origins and interpretations of the
philosophy of stratagems, tracing their development from classical sources such as Sun Tzu’s The Art of War,
Laozi’s Dao De Jing
, and the Chinese treatise 36 Stratagems, to Islamic intellectual traditions, including Nizam al-
Mulk’s Siyāsatnāma and Amir Temur’s Temur Tuzuklari. Special attention is given to the influence of stratagems
on governance, military affairs, and socio-political strategies in both Eastern and Western contexts. The works of
Aristotle, Plato, and later Machiavelli’s The Prince are analyzed to demonstrate how stratagems became
embedded in Western political philosophy. The study also highlights the contributions of modern scholars such as
Harro von Senger and Robert Greene, who systematized stratagem theory for contemporary global discourse.
Ultimately, the research reveals that stratagems are not only military or political instruments but also universal
cultural phenomena shaping human interaction, governance, and global relations.
Keywords
: Stratagems; philosophy of strategy; 36 Stratagems; Nizam al-Mulk; Amir Temur; Machiavelli; Harro
von Senger; Robert Greene; Eastern philosophy; Western political thought; globalization; socio-political strategies.
Introduction:
Throughout all periods of human
development, issues related to the progress of society
and the future of a particular nation and state have
always received strong attention. The sages and
scholars, leaders and statesmen of each era have
sought to determine the principles of development of
the society in which they lived, to outline its strategy of
action, and to define the ways of implementing it.
Development consists of a chain of reforms and
renewals that are carried out sequentially and
interconnectedly. To implement reforms, first and
foremost, profound changes must take place in
consciousness and thinking. Indeed, if there were no
lofty goals uniting people and turning them into a
powerful force, society would have long ago faced
spiritual decline.
For this reason, strategies that emdiv the lofty goals
and aspirations of society, inspire people to
constructive endeavors, and help realize their potential
hold incomparable significance in the lives of society
and individuals, of the state and every citizen. This is an
undeniable truth of today’s reality.
The concept of “stratagem” originates from the ancient
Greek word “stratagemata,” which means “military
affair” and “military trick.” This is confirmed by the fact
that the ancient Roman statesman Sextus Julius
Frontinus (30
–
103 CE) wrote a treatise on military
tactics titled Strategematon.
According to researcher D. Qodirov, as early as 2,500
years ago in China, military and political scholars began
attempting to develop a set of rules based on general
laws that underlie the science of strategy. This process
lasted for more than a thousand years, resulting in the
creation of 36 tactical methods for conquering
countries, expanding states, and maintaining power.
The exact time when the treatise 36 Stratagems
appeared and its author are unknown. Hundreds of
politicians, commanders, and ordinary people
contributed to its creation. They passed down strategic
stories from generation to generation, explaining and
refining them each time, selecting only the most
important until the essence remained. The process that
produced the 36 Stratagems began in the 6th century
BCE and was completed around the 5th century CE.
Historical sources repeatedly mention it, and around
the 1600s, an anonymous author compiled them into a
manuscript titled The Secret Art of War: 36 Stratagems.
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141
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
The 36 Stratagems stands alongside Sun Tzu’s The Art
of War, Laozi’s Dao De Jing, and t
he oldest Chinese
work, Shijing. Like these works, it teaches its readers
resilience, survival, and the acquisition of wealth in a
dynamic environment.
In fact, all of them trace their foundations back to an
even older work, the Book of Changes (I Ching, 12th
–
6th centuries BCE), which relied on philosophical
predictions about the world and humanity to explain
the future of the real world and society. On this basis,
the spiritual foundations of many stratagems were
elaborated.
As some specialists emphasize, stratagems were also
studied and given attention in the Islamic world. In
particular, in the 12th century, the Sicilian Arab scholar
Ibn Zafar wrote a work on stratagems, which Michael
Amari later translated into English under the title
Solwan or Waters of Comfort. A century before
Machiavelli, an anonymous author wrote a treatise in
Arabic entitled Raqāʾiq al
-
Hiyal fī Daqāʾiq al
-
Hiyal (“A
Veil Woven from the Fine Fabric of Subtle
Stratagems”), which was translated into French and
published in 1976.
Among these are also stratagems related to fiqh, which
constitutes a part of Muslim law and practice. One of
the most important sources for our dissertation topic is
Siyāsatnāma or Siyar al
-
Mulūk (The Book of
Government or The Lives of Kings), written in 1091 by
Abu Ali Hasan ibn Ali al-Tusi, better known as Nizam al-
Mulk (1018
–
1092), the wise vizier of the Seljuks, who
left an indelible mark on the history of the East and
world political thought. Its main stratagem is this: “If a
centralized state does not have a single strategy,
supporters of different strategies and ideas will fight for
power, which may lead to much bloodshed and
tyranny.”
Another key source for modern stratagem studies is
Temur Tuzuklari (The Institutes of Temur), a historical-
political treatise that reflects many of the spiritual
principles characteristic of the Uzbek people. This
valuable work from the 14th
–
15th centuries tells of
Amir Temur’s liberation of Mawarannahr from the
Mongols, his rise to power, the establishment of an
independent and centralized state, and the activities
carried out by the Sahibqiran. The ideas in this work
remain relevant today and are being used to improve
the structure of our state and society.
It should also be noted that valuable insights for our
topic can be found in works written after Temur
Tuzuklari, such as Mirzo Ulughbek’s Tārīkh
-
i Chihilgāni
(The History of the Four Uluses), Babur’s Baburnama,
Abulgazi Bahodirkhan’s Shajara
-i Turk (The Genealogy
of the Turks), and Ahmad Donish’s Navādir al
-
Waqā’iʿ
(Rare Events).
In Western countries as well, scholarly sources have
been created to analyze the theoretical foundations of
modern stratagem theory. Not only the work
Strategematon by the ancient Roman statesman Sextus
Julius Frontinus (30
–
103 CE), but also the works of the
ancient Greek philosopher Plato (427
–
347 BCE,
Athens)
—
such as The Republic, The Laws, Critias, and
Politics, along with treatises on political matters
written by his student
—
are considered essential
sources for today’s stratagem theory.
Similarly, the treatises titled Politics by Aristotle (384
–
322 BCE), one of the greatest thinkers of antiquity who
inaugurated a new era in Greek philosophy and science,
are also among the most important sources of modern
stratagem theory.
The main work of the Italian political thinker Niccolò
Machiavelli (1469
–
1527), The Prince (Il Principe),
written in 1513, is recognized as the first book in the
history of European Renaissance socio-philosophical
and political thought to substantiate the idea of a
centralized state and the strategic principles
underpinning it. It is no coincidence that it astonished
all of Europe at the time.
Despite being placed on the Index of Prohibited Books
by the Pope of Rome in 1559, The Prince quickly spread
and was introduced to dozens of nations. In particular,
translations were published in French in 1544, Latin in
1560, English in 1640, German in 1745, Swedish in
1757, Spanish in 1821, Hungarian in 1848, Polish in
1868, Russian in 1869, Czech in 1873, Danish in 1876,
and Norwegian in 1898.
In modern philosophy, the study of stratagems began
in the late 20th century, with Swiss scholar Harro von
Senger and English philosopher Robert Greene being
recognized as the prominent specialists who
introduced this concept into discourse. Senger’s
works
Strategeme. Band 1 (Stratagems, Vol. 1, 1999) and
Strategeme. Band 2 (Stratagems: The Chinese Art of
Living and Survival, Vol. 2, 2004), as well as Robert
Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power (1998) and The 33
Strategies of War (2006), provide a comprehensive
discussion of the subject.
Harro von Senger’s aforementioned works, spanning
over 1,300 pages, detail the theory and practice of
stratagems, their formation and significance, and the
origins of Chinese stratagems. They classify stratagems,
provide information on their development, and draw
parallels with Western analogues.
Admittedly, some research and publications had been
undertaken earlier, including articles in scientific and
popular journals and collections. However, it was
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
142
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajsshr
American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
precisely these scholars who fully introduced Chinese
stratagems into European scientific thought, revealing
their content and significance as phenomena universal
to all humanity.
In an article published in 2008 in the newspaper
Hurriyat, Doctor of Philosophy and Professor V.
Alimasov also provided a concise overview of this topic.
He noted:
“Although globalization processes unfolding in the
world today are viewed as a positive phenomenon, it is
not difficult to see that they hinder the free expression
of the national and individua
l consciousness of one’s
‘self.’ Through the unification of lifestyles, cultural
diversity, modes of thinking, and laws, some politicians
and researchers promote strategies for forming global
governance or even a planetary state. However, such
unification could lead to the uniformity of the very
diversity, pluralism, and variety that human reason,
consciousness, and spirit constantly desire.
Therefore, while supporting globalization processes,
scholars today face the challenge of preserving cultural
diversity, different ways of thinking inherent to each
individual, the inclination toward unique research, and
pluralism. The growing interest in Chinese stratagems
in recent years is one example of such research.”
In short, the study of stratagems makes it possible to
reveal their philosophical characteristics and to
understand the aims of certain individuals, the
directions of their actions, their attitudes toward their
surroundings, and the ways in which they express
themselves.
Without knowledge of these factors, it is difficult to use
stratagems effectively, which is why it is of great
importance to clearly understand the methods and
means of achieving the goals associated with them, as
well as their role in life.
Today, stratagems widely spread across the world exert
a significant influence not only on the lives of nations
but also on relations between them and on the
geostrategic development principles of certain
countries.
This, in turn, implies that stratagems are directed
toward many different objects
—
be it individuals,
specific social strata, ethnic groups and nations, a
particular state, or entire regional blocs.
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