Reading Thucydides in the wolf world

The term "Thucydides's Trap," popularized by Professor Graham Allison's 2017 book "Destined for War," describes the inherent structural stress that arises when a major rising power is perceived as a threat to an established power. This concept originates from the ancient Greek soldier-historian Thucydides's account in "History of the Peloponnesian War."

However, the article contends that modern scholars and policymakers often misinterpret Thucydides by selectively focusing on specific passages to support their own political or strategic agendas. Dr. Henry Kissinger is cited as an example, having introduced Thucydides to U.S. policy circles. Kissinger, while familiar with the text's nuances, reportedly emphasized the "Melian Dialogue" and the line, "The strong exact what they can; the weak concede what they must," which became a slogan for Cold War strategies. The author suggests this was a simplification for the political arena, as Thucydides's message was far more complex.

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The strong exact what they can; the weak concede what they must.

The article argues that this misrepresentation has influenced U.S. policymakers for decades, particularly in what is described as a "wolf world" where international law is disregarded. It calls for a deeper, hermeneutic analysis of Thucydides's work, moving beyond isolated episodes that suit contemporary predilections.

Instead of a simple chronicle of military events, Thucydides's "History" is presented as a study of psychological decline. The author highlights the structural architecture of the work, which connects the Plague of Athens, the Melian Dialogue, and the Sicilian Expedition. The Plague, described in Book Two, is seen as the foundational fracture, illustrating how sudden, indiscriminate terror obliterates law and religious restraint. This moral dissolution, the article posits, directly fostered the intellectual hubris that led to the events at Melos and ultimately culminated in the material ruin of the Sicilian campaign.

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man was wolf to man