--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention…" description: "\"The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention argues that no two countries that are both part of the same global supply chain will ever fight a war as long as..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png" --- # The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention argues that no two… ![“The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention argues that no two countries that are both part of the same global supply chain will ever fight a war as long as they are each part of that supply chain.” quote by Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png) > “The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention argues that no two countries that are both part of the same global supply chain will ever fight a war as long as they are each part of that supply chain.” [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Countries linked by shared supply chains have economic incentives to avoid conflict, reducing war likelihood. **In simple terms:** Economic ties lower war risk. Key Takeaway Support interdependence to promote peace. Themes economics peace globalization Mood analytical optimistic Type theoretical policy When to use this quote - trade policy - diplomacy - business strategy Key Concepts interdependence conflict prevention Questions to Reflect On - How can nations maintain peace if supply chains break? - What alternatives exist when economic ties fail? A Different Perspective Supply chains can be disrupted, breaking the peace effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Prevention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevention/) [Supply chain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supply-chain/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Democracy is, in essence, a form of non-violent conflict management. If war is the worst enemy of development, healthy and balanced development is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/democracy-is-in-essence-a-form-of-non-violent-conflict-management-if/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Nagasaki and Hiroshima remind us to put peace first every day; to work on conflict prevention and resolution, reconciliation, and dialogue; and to tackle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/nagasaki-and-hiroshima-remind-us-to-put-peace-first-every-day-to-work/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [Al Qaeda is nothing more than a mutant supply chain. They're playing off the same platform as Wal-Mart and Dell. They're just not restrained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/al-qaeda-is-nothing-more-than-a-mutant-supply-chain-they-re-playing-2/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Al Qaeda is nothing more than a mutant supply chain. They're playing off the same platform as Wal-Mart and Dell. They're just not restrained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/al-qaeda-is-nothing-more-than-a-mutant-supply-chain-they-re-playing/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [What is al Qaeda? It's an open source religious political movement that works off the global supply chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/what-is-al-qaeda-it-s-an-open-source-religious-political-movement/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Basically all the world's computer parts come from the same supply chain that runs from Korea, down through coastal China, over to Taiwan, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/basically-all-the-world-s-computer-parts-come-from-the-same-supply/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Supply chains cannot tolerate even 24 hours of disruption. So if you lose your place in the supply chain because of wild behavior you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/supply-chains-cannot-tolerate-even-24-hours-of-disruption-so-if-you/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [International inspectors are on the ground and Iran is being subjected to the most comprehensive, intrusive inspection regime ever negotiated to monitor a nuclear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/international-inspectors-are-on-the-ground-and-iran-is-being/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Fact is, the work place to a great extent is "where we live." We need star accountants. Boffo saleswomen. Over-the-top creatives in marketing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/fact-is-the-work-place-to-a-great-extent-is-where-we-live-we-need/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“It was in Cleveland that Magic Slim became the most successful pornographic film producer in America. His training center was a key link in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hahn/it-was-in-cleveland-that-magic-slim-became-the-most-successful/) [Nick Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hahn/) > [People can buy the kind of things they consider as normal and take for granted because of globalization and trade and use of supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lagarde/people-can-buy-the-kind-of-things-they-consider-as-normal-and-take/) [Christine Lagarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lagarde/) > [“It is hard to find many better examples of values-first leadership than Ventura, California-based outdoor clothing company Patagonia. For more than 30 years, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-haaff/it-is-hard-to-find-many-better-examples-of-values-first-leadership/) [Brian de Haaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-haaff/) > [The supply chain industry in our Commonwealth continues to gain momentum, in large part due to The Port of Virginia's unparalleled infrastructure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/the-supply-chain-industry-in-our-commonwealth-continues-to-gain/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed critical vulnerabilities in our pharmaceutical supply chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-spanberger/the-covid-19-pandemic-has-exposed-critical-vulnerabilities-in-our/) [Abigail Spanberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-spanberger/) > [With the very rapid expansion of distribution platforms, we want to be in the supply chain with as many types of programs as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/with-the-very-rapid-expansion-of-distribution-platforms-we-want-to-be/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) ## More by Thomas Friedman > [I'm pretty much an open book. I am a fanatic golfer and golf nut. If I have three free hours any day, my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-m-pretty-much-an-open-book-i-am-a-fanatic-golfer-and-golf-nut-if-i/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [The financial crisis just made the hole deeper, which is why our stimulus needs to be both big and smart, both financially and educationally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-financial-crisis-just-made-the-hole-deeper-which-is-why-our/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Many jobs at Google require math, computing, and coding skills, so if your good grades truly reflect skills in those areas that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/many-jobs-at-google-require-math-computing-and-coding-skills-so-if/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Never before in the history of the planet have so many people, on their own, had the ability to find so much information about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/never-before-in-the-history-of-the-planet-have-so-many-people-on/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [When I was growing up, my parents told me, 'Finish your dinner. People in China and India are starving.' I tell my daughters, 'Finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/when-i-was-growing-up-my-parents-told-me-finish-your-dinner-people-in/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Hillary Clinton has decided to line up with John McCain in pushing to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/hillary-clinton-has-decided-to-line-up-with-john-mccain-in-pushing-to/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Two things are going on at the same time with the flattening of the world: The relentless quest for efficiency is squeezing some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/two-things-are-going-on-at-the-same-time-with-the-flattening-of-the/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Our president's latest energy initiative was to go to Saudi Arabia and beg King Abdullah to give us a little relief on gasoline prices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/our-president-s-latest-energy-initiative-was-to-go-to-saudi-arabia/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [I don't think the Arab Spring had much to do with energy. I think it was just the opposite, in fact. I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-don-t-think-the-arab-spring-had-much-to-do-with-energy-i-think-it/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Until we fully understand what turned two brothers who allegedly perpetrated the Boston Marathon bombings into murderers, it is hard to make any policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/until-we-fully-understand-what-turned-two-brothers-who-allegedly/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Geopolitics is all about leverage. We cannot make ourselves safer abroad unless we change our behavior at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/geopolitics-is-all-about-leverage-we-cannot-make-ourselves-safer/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/big-breakthroughs-happen-when-what-is-suddenly-possible-meets-what-is/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [That's right-the striking thing about greenhouse gases is the diversity of sources that emit them. A herd of cattle belching can be worse than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/that-s-right-the-striking-thing-about-greenhouse-gases-is-the/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [There is something more severe than the problem with Thomas Friedman, which can be generalized to represent someone causing action while being completely unaccountable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/there-is-something-more-severe-than-the-problem-with-thomas-friedman/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Pessimists are usually right and optimists are usually wrong but all the great changes have been accomplished by optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/pessimists-are-usually-right-and-optimists-are-usually-wrong-but-all/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) [Explore all 208 Thomas Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) ## More Conflict quotes > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [Conflict isn't negative, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [The irrepressible conflict propounded by abolitionism has produced now its legitimate fruits - disunion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irrepressible-conflict-propounded-by-abolitionism-has-produced/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [“While there is battle and hatred men have eyes for nothing save the fact that the enemy is the cause of all the troubles;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/while-there-is-battle-and-hatred-men-have-eyes-for-nothing-save-the/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/all-men-have-an-instinct-for-conflict-at-least-all-healthy-men/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [“How we traverse the space between us when conflict arises has a profound effect on the health and longevity of our relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/how-we-traverse-the-space-between-us-when-conflict-arises-has-a/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) [Browse all 3,969 Conflict quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention argues that no two countries that are both part of the same global supply chain will ever fight a war as long as they are each part of that supply chain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Friedman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-argues-that-no-two-countries/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conflict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-argues-that-no-two-countries/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/thomas-friedman-1784_conflict_the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-a_660918.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention argues that no two countries that are both part of the same global…” — Thomas Friedman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Friedman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-argues-that-no-two-countries/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/the-dell-theory-of-conflict-prevention-argues-that-no-two-countries/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```