I think what the previous post meant was that a political battleground always exists, not that middle managers create them. If you think they don't, you're telling me your role in the organization without telling me your role.

I just always assumed middle management purpose is to insulate upper management from any bad consequences of the actual business.

Like there is a dispersion process of responsibility of the actual business as you go up the chain so if you have enough layers you can basically free roll as an upper manager with taking credit for the good outcomes while the bad was just shitty middle management.

It is an investment by upper manager to free roll.

Those battles will always exist and need to be fought.

battleground is another name for markets