The Thucydides Trap: A Warning from History to Trump and Xi Jinping The concept of the Thucydides trap has been invoked in recent years to caution nations engaged in intense competition, particularly between rising powers like China and established ones such as the United States.
This idea is rooted in ancient Greek history, where Thucydides chronicled the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta.
The war was sparked by escalating tensions that ultimately led to the downfall of both city states.