A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges.

Summary

This quote suggests that large empires or organizations often experience turmoil and decline on their peripheries or fringes. Similar to how a cake is first sliced from the edges, weakening the overall structure, maintaining control over vast territories becomes increasingly difficult. The quote emphasizes the vulnerability of expansive powers and implies that focusing on the core and addressing problems at the edges is essential for sustaining a flourishing empire or organization.

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