Analysis Of Thucydides Trap Based On The Theory Of Sustainable Development

As the emerging economies rise up,they will inevitably influence those traditional powers in terms of economic growth,international prowess as well as scientific and technological development.And in order to maintain their own economic interests,traditional powers develop conflicts and confrontations with emerging ones,thereby both sides falling into the Thucydides trap.The two sides adopt a series of sanctions and counter-measures,which will seriously impede the economic,scientific and technological,and social development of themselves and even the rest of the world.It also strays away from the values and principles of sustainable development.The Thucydides trap is caused by the development problems between countries.Therefore,analyzing the Thucydides trap from the perspective of sustainable development and identifying solutions bear both theoretical and practical significance.Sustainable development is a guiding proposal for human development that integrates scientific development laws and development experience.It instructs humans how to develop towards a better and sounder future.From the perspectives of national economic,scientific and technological,social development,this paper looks into the principles of equity,commonality,sustainability and peace of sustainable development.Then it retrace the impacts brought by the Thucydides trap in history and predicts its challenges posed to sustainable development.Regarding the equity of sustainable development,the hostilities between the two super powers involved in the Thucydides trap have impaired the intra-generational and inter-generational equity in their economic development.Concerning the commonality of sustainable development,the Thucydides trap stands in the way of two countries' common goal in developing economy and technology.As for the sustainability of sustainable development,the Thucydides trap focuses on immediate interests while dismissing the long-term benefits of sustainable development in respects of economy,environment and society.Regarding the peace of sustainable development,the Thucydides trap is a non-peaceful practice and a blatant challenge to the peace of sustainable development.This paper centers on the challenges of the Thucydides trap posed to different principles of sustainable development.From the perspectives of the equity of economic development,the commonality of economic and technological development,the sustainability of economic,environmental and social development as well as of the peace of development,it proposes solutions aiming to safeguard sustainable development and prevent emerging and traditional powers from falling into the Thucydides trap.Since the Thucydides trap is a challenge to sustainable development,maintaining sustainable development is the optimal way to avoid the Thucydides trap.The two great powers should seek common interests,strengthen communication and cooperation in exploring the sustainable development path and strive to avoid conflicts and disputes.Moreover,all human beings should be committed to the sustainable development path of man and nature,man and society existing in harmony.Thus a global community of shared future could be built to bypass the Thucydides trap at source.