Alliances Quote by George Friedman
![“The Chinese central government will slowly and steadily lose authority while regional armies [gain power]. The Western powers are going to take sides to protect their investments - they have put billions of dollars into Shanghai. Their fear is that [these investments] are going to be expropriated…” quote by George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7fa/george-friedman-7436_alliances_the-chinese-central-government-will-slow_2003767.jpg)
“The Chinese central government will slowly and steadily lose authority while regional armies [gain power]. The Western powers are going to take sides to protect their investments - they have put billions of dollars into Shanghai. Their fear is that [these investments] are going to be expropriated by a warlord from the interior who will sweep down on Shanghai. They will try to form alliances with warlords to protect their concessions, and there will be a huge flow of weapons into China.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Next 100 Years, George Friedman, 2009
Central authority will erode as regional powers grow, prompting foreign investors to back local warlords to protect assets.
In simple terms: Power shifts and foreign meddling in China.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the risk of fragmented authority.
Themes
politics
economics
foreign investment
military
China
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
geopolitical
predictive
When to use this quote
- business strategy
- geopolitical analysis
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
centralization
regionalism
investment protection
proxy wars
Questions to Reflect On
- How might decentralization affect global trade?
- What safeguards can investors use?
A Different Perspective
Assumes warlords will align with foreign interests; local dynamics may differ.
![“We cannot anticipate the moral circumstances under which we will live. And therefore [I refuse] to say that I will not live in a moral circumstance that requires violence.” quote by George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/313/george-friedman-7436_anticipate_we-cannot-anticipate-the-moral-circumsta_260342.jpg)
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![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
