--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To escape Thucydides’s Trap, we must be…" description: "\"“To escape Thucydides’s Trap, we must be willing to think the unthinkable—and imagine the unimaginable. Avoiding Thucydides’s Trap in this case will re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/graham-allison-43351_history_to-escape-thucydides-s-trap-we-must-be-w_2568817.jpg" --- # To escape Thucydides’s Trap, we must be willing to think… ![“To escape Thucydides’s Trap, we must be willing to think the unthinkable—and imagine the unimaginable. Avoiding Thucydides’s Trap in this case will require nothing less than bending the arc of history.” quote by Graham Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/graham-allison-43351_history_to-escape-thucydides-s-trap-we-must-be-w_2568817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/graham-allison-43351_history_to-escape-thucydides-s-trap-we-must-be-w_2568817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/graham-allison-43351_history_to-escape-thucydides-s-trap-we-must-be-w_2568817.jpg) > ““To escape Thucydides’s Trap, we must be willing to think the unthinkable—and imagine the unimaginable. Avoiding Thucydides’s Trap in this case will require nothing less than bending the arc of history.”” [Graham Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-allison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding great power conflict requires daring, unconventional thinking and reshaping historical trajectories. **In simple terms:** Think differently to prevent war. Key Takeaway Embrace bold, creative strategies. Themes conflict history strategy innovation Mood cautious optimistic Type analytical strategic When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - policy planning - military strategy - international relations - education Key Concepts realism power transition systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - Can we realistically reshape history? - What risks accompany radical thinking? A Different Perspective Such ideas may be dismissed as unrealistic or idealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ## Related quotes > [“Two centuries ago, Napoleon warned, “Let China sleep; when she wakes, she will shake the world.” Today China has awakened, and the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-allison/two-centuries-ago-napoleon-warned-let-china-sleep-when-she-wakes-she/) [Graham Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-allison/) > [There's a reason you can still read Thucydides, and it still makes sense to you thousands of years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-weiss/there-s-a-reason-you-can-still-read-thucydides-and-it-still-makes/) [D. B. 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Then do the unthinkable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-the-unthinkable-then-do-the-unthinkable/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to be willing to think the unthinkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-have-to-be-willing-to-think-the-unthinkable/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/we-must-dare-to-think-unthinkable-thoughts-we-must-learn-to-explore/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) ## More by Graham Allison > [“I am a congenital optimist about America, but I worry that American democracy is exhibiting fatal symptoms. 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