Quote Originally Posted by Coughdrop addict View Post
I'd say no, it is always better to have allies and friends then vassals and slaves. Vassals and slaves can only be counted on when you have the strength to keep them in shackles, but should the situation change things can get very bad for you.

Case in point, say a tsunami hit the US East Cost. The loss of life and property would be catastrophic, as would the US's ability to coordinate it's military. But because the US has friends and allies (and has in fact spent a lot on disaster relief in other countries itself) we could expect Canada and the EU and UK and Japan and others to help us out rather then grabbing whatever territory they could.

Now ask yourself, what if a major disaster happened in Russia that crippled it's military capacity? Does anyone help it? Or do it's neighbors start tearing out chunks of land for themselves?
More or less this. Might makes right sounds good until some whatever unexpect event that life has cripplies your might, and your underlings start chipping away small pieces of power for themselves.
Cooperation is a bit different, and has a larger insurance in case of frailty even if it's a temporary frailty, that cooperation will be favoured over chipping away the biggest power.