--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The control of a large force is the same…" description: "\"The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.\" — Sun Tzu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg" --- # The control of a large force is the same principle as the… ![“The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.” quote by Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg) > “The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.” [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. Control of many forces mirrors control of a few: both rely on strategic division and allocation. **In simple terms:** Managing large groups is like managing small ones: divide them. Key Takeaway Divide and allocate resources strategically. Themes strategy leadership division resource management Mood strategic pragmatic Type theoretical historical When to use this quote - army command - project management - crowd control - political leadership Key Concepts military tactics organizational theory systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does division aid control? - What risks arise from over‑division? A Different Perspective Dividing can cause fragmentation if not coordinated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-men-303877/) [Dividing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dividing/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Force Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-principle-1821700/) [Large Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-force-1821698/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Principle Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-control-1821699/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There had so lately been a large force of Spanish cavalry at the village, which had made a great impression on the minds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zebulon-pike/there-had-so-lately-been-a-large-force-of-spanish-cavalry-at-the/) [Zebulon Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zebulon-pike/) > [Now you are no longer a giggling child, smiling at whoever comes along. You are a woman with power. Learn to control your smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-moran/now-you-are-no-longer-a-giggling-child-smiling-at-whoever-comes-along/) [Michelle Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-moran/) > [“Women are supposed to control men, isn’t that how it goes? What’s that saying again: ‘Behind every great man is a great woman’. We’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-a-denzil/women-are-supposed-to-control-men-isn-t-that-how-it-goes-what-s-that/) [Sarah A. Denzil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-a-denzil/) > [There's this notion of women's bodies being out of control - so out of control that men don't understand it at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-abbott/there-s-this-notion-of-women-s-bodies-being-out-of-control-so-out-of/) [Megan Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-abbott/) > [You can't control men so you need to control yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-control-men-so-you-need-to-control-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men control the world, but women control the men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/men-control-the-world-but-women-control-the-men/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [“That was the great misconception about men: because they dealt with money, because they could hire someone on and later fire him, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdowell/that-was-the-great-misconception-about-men-because-they-dealt-with/) [Michael McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdowell/) > [Every step by which men add to their knowledge and skills is a step also by which they can control other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/every-step-by-which-men-add-to-their-knowledge-and-skills-is-a-step/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [ More than all, and above all, \[George\] Washington was master of himself. If there be one quality more than another in his character which… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-francis-adams-sr/more-than-all-and-above-all-george-washington-was-master-of-himself/) [Charles Francis Adams, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-francis-adams-sr/) > [Men of all ages have the same inclinations, over which reason exercises no control. Thus, wherever men are found, there are follies, ay, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/men-of-all-ages-have-the-same-inclinations-over-which-reason/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [“Of course you can. It’s a woman’s prerogative. We get our way. Why else would god give us pussies if we weren’t supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-kyle/of-course-you-can-it-s-a-woman-s-prerogative-we-get-our-way-why-else/) [Celia Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-kyle/) > [Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/our-whole-constitutional-heritage-rebels-at-the-thought-of-giving/) [Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/) > [“Why were women alone responsible for sheltering men from the sexual desires women supposedly elicited in men? Why could men not control themselves? Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-eltahawy/why-were-women-alone-responsible-for-sheltering-men-from-the-sexual/) [Mona Eltahawy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-eltahawy/) > [Two things control men's nature, instinct and experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/two-things-control-men-s-nature-instinct-and-experience/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“Eugenics, as discussed, evidently means the control of some men over the marriage and unmarriage of others; and probably means the control of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/eugenics-as-discussed-evidently-means-the-control-of-some-men-over/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) ## More by Sun Tzu > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-according-to-the-shapes-that-i-lay-the-plans-for-victory-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends hit him where he does not expect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/go-into-emptiness-strike-voids-bypass-what-he-defends-hit-him-where/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“In a similar way, The Art of War pinpoints anger and greed as fundamental causes of defeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/in-a-similar-way-the-art-of-war-pinpoints-anger-and-greed-as/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“The PEOPLE being regarded as the essential part of the State, and FOOD as the people's heaven, is it not right that those in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-people-being-regarded-as-the-essential-part-of-the-state-and-food/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/therefore-the-good-fighter-will-be-terrible-in-his-onset-and-prompt/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“So long as victory can be attained,  stupid haste is preferable to clever dilatoriness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/so-long-as-victory-can-be-attained-stupid-haste-is-preferable-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/you-can-ensure-the-safety-of-your-defense-if-you-only-hold-positions/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-we-do-not-wish-to-fight-we-can-prevent-the-enemy-from-engaging-us/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-wins-a-battle-makes-many-calculations-in-his-temple/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/in-all-fighting-the-direct-method-may-be-used-for-joining-battle-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy's numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/to-begin-by-bluster-but-afterwards-to-take-fright-at-the-enemy-s/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [ They \[spies\] cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/they-spies-cannot-be-properly-managed-without-benevolence-and/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) [Explore all 685 Sun Tzu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## More Dividing quotes > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) [Ludwig Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-erhard/) > [The fellow who says he'll meet you halfway usually thinks he's standing on the dividing line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-aloysius-battista/the-fellow-who-says-he-ll-meet-you-halfway-usually-thinks-he-s/) [Orlando Aloysius Battista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-aloysius-battista/) > [What neo-capitalism does so brilliantly is that it's always subdividing and dividing, so that people are never able to be joined in their numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-neo-capitalism-does-so-brilliantly-is-that-it-s-always/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Between calculated risk and reckless decision-making lies the dividing line between profit and loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/between-calculated-risk-and-reckless-decision-making-lies-the/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Friendship makes prosperity more brilliant, and lightens adversity by dividing and sharing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-makes-prosperity-more-brilliant-and-lightens-adversity-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/if-we-are-to-have-another-contest-in-the-near-future-of-our-national/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [We often forget that Spain controlled big parts of Europe, in Italy and the Netherlands. In the Middle Ages, Spain and Portugal were so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-fisher/we-often-forget-that-spain-controlled-big-parts-of-europe-in-italy/) [Max Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-fisher/) > [The geometry reveals five development direction for applications (each with endless possibilities); dividing, dwelling, trestle, fenestration and artistic installation. I find these enabled designs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dror-benshetrit/the-geometry-reveals-five-development-direction-for-applications-each/) [Dror Benshetrit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dror-benshetrit/) > [She bent her finger and then straightened it. The mystery was in the instant before it moved, the dividing moment between not moving and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/she-bent-her-finger-and-then-straightened-it-the-mystery-was-in-the/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Well, I think that there's a very thin dividing line between success and failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/well-i-think-that-there-s-a-very-thin-dividing-line-between-success/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hospitality-means-primarily-the-creation-of-free-space-where-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Religion is here to unite us. It's not here to divide us. If it's dividing us, it's not God's religion, it's something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamza-yusuf/religion-is-here-to-unite-us-it-s-not-here-to-divide-us-if-it-s/) [Hamza Yusuf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamza-yusuf/) > [So many things in the world have happened before. But it's like they never did. Every new thing that happens to a person, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/so-many-things-in-the-world-have-happened-before-but-it-s-like-they/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [It's a reality of film festivals that you can't see everything. You're dividing your time between seeing films and utilizing that unique space to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-powers/it-s-a-reality-of-film-festivals-that-you-can-t-see-everything-you-re/) [Thom Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-powers/) > [The middle way cannot be achieved by dividing two extremes in half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-middle-way-cannot-be-achieved-by-dividing-two-extremes-in-half/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) [Browse all 219 Dividing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dividing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sun Tzu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same-principle-as-the-control-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dividing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same-principle-as-the-control-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/sun-tzu-283_dividing_the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same_2586401.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of…” — Sun Tzu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sun Tzu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The control of a large force...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same-principle-as-the-control-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-control-of-a-large-force-is-the-same-principle-as-the-control-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```