• Athenian historian Thucydides noted in the 4th century B.C. that when a rising power threatens to displace a ruling one, the most likely outcome is war. In his latest book, U.S. academic Graham Allison asks whether China and the U.S. can escape Thucydides' Trap. | WALTER MADERBACHER
    Athenian historian Thucydides noted in the 4th century B.C. that when a rising power threatens to displace a ruling one, the most likely outcome is war. In his latest book, U.S. academic Graham Allison asks whether China and the U.S. can escape Thucydides' Trap. | WALTER MADERBACHER
  • SHARE

WASHINGTON – Before settling in for pleasurable summer books, read Graham Allison’s “Destined for War: Can America and China escape Thucydides’s Trap?” A warning label: It’s going to scare the hell out of you.

It starts with the Athenian historian’s chronicle of the conflict between Sparta and Athens in the fifth century B.C. as a way to tackle the larger question of whether war can be averted when an aggressive rising nation threatens a dominant power. Allison, a renowned Harvard scholar and national security expert, studied 16 such cases over the past 500 years; in 12 there was war.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

PHOTO GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

, , ,