--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is best to keep one’s own state…" description: "\"“It is best to keep one’s own state intact; to crush the enemy’s state is only second best.”\" — Sun Tzu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sun-tzu-283_politics_it-is-best-to-keep-one-s-own-state-intac_341104.jpg" --- # It is best to keep one’s own state intact; to crush the… ![“It is best to keep one’s own state intact; to crush the enemy’s state is only second best.” quote by Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sun-tzu-283_politics_it-is-best-to-keep-one-s-own-state-intac_341104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sun-tzu-283_politics_it-is-best-to-keep-one-s-own-state-intac_341104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sun-tzu-283_politics_it-is-best-to-keep-one-s-own-state-intac_341104.jpg) > ““It is best to keep one’s own state intact; to crush the enemy’s state is only second best.”” [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Preserve your own stability; damaging the enemy’s state is a secondary tactic. **In simple terms:** Keep your state intact first. Key Takeaway Prioritize self-stability. Themes strategy defense politics Mood strategic analytical Type military political When to use this quote - political campaigns - business competition - conflict resolution - leadership Key Concepts military theory power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is attacking more effective? - How balance defense with aggression? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self can ignore offensive opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation/) [Rivalry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivalry/) [Second best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-best/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Generally in war the best policy is to take a state intact; to ruin it is inferior to this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/generally-in-war-the-best-policy-is-to-take-a-state-intact-to-ruin-it/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Wherever you go, whether it be a college campus or the New York Times or ABC News or Venezuela or Cuba or the former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-breitbart/wherever-you-go-whether-it-be-a-college-campus-or-the-new-york-times/) [Andrew Breitbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-breitbart/) > [I'm not an enemy of the state, just an enemy of propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tru-muse-2/i-m-not-an-enemy-of-the-state-just-an-enemy-of-propaganda/) Tru\_ Muse > [An enemy state of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-enemy-state-of-mind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The enemy is the state of affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-enemy-is-the-state-of-affair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you have small-government, traditional values, you may be considered by your own leadership to be an enemy of the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/if-you-have-small-government-traditional-values-you-may-be-considered/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [“Although the definition of an 'enemy of the state' changed over time, the mechanisms to deal with these enemies were put in place right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/although-the-definition-of-an-enemy-of-the-state-changed-over-time/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [I think that Jamal Khashoggi was an enemy of the state, and I don't really think that it's appropriate for American media institutions to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-think-that-jamal-khashoggi-was-an-enemy-of-the-state-and-i-don-t/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [Growing up, my family was an enemy of the state. 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