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MENTAL MODEL · M3397

Proxy War

Proxy War
DecideHigh supportGame Theory
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Two great powers do not directly fight, but use a third party (proxy) to engage in conflict in other regions, thereby exhausting each other's strength and avoiding a full-scale war.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

White glove game. When you don't want to break relations or bear direct risks, support a proxy (such as a subsidiary, KOL, or partner) to attack opponents. This is a standard move for big players in a zero-sum market game.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

A great power supports a third-party proxy to carry out conflict on its behalf, avoiding the high costs and escalation risks of direct confrontation; the proxy bears the losses, while the backstage power retains strategic initiative.

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_warZH · Explicit
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