"I believe it is still true that conflicts among major powers usually stem from geopolitical rivalries but rarely from economic competition"

This quote by Robert Kagan suggests that geopolitical competitions are the main cause of conflicts in between significant powers, rather than financial competition. This suggests that the primary source of stress in between countries is not financial, however rather political. Kagan's statement recommends that nations are most likely to go to war over concerns of power and influence than over economic issues. This is likely due to the reality that economic competitors can often be dealt with through negotiation and compromise, while geopolitical rivalries are typically harder to fix. Kagan's quote highlights the value of understanding the geopolitical context of worldwide relations in order to prevent and fix disputes between major powers.