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0 pointsTeMPOraL10y ago0 comments

I think that "Mad Max style business environment" will actually evolve back to the rule of law. That's how our present world came to be, after all. We moved from warlords to cities, then to regions, nation states and finally to international unions and trans-national government organizations. We moved, because at each step, grouping together and establishing some shared rules was good for people and good for business.

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3 comments · 1 top-level

AndrewKemendo10y ago· 2 in thread

Indeed it would.

The Greek philosopher Polybius referred to this cycle between anarchy and totalitarian state as the anakyklosis

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacyclosis

TeMPOraLOP10y ago

This is actually... a) very insightful, and b) something I don't recall ever encountering before. Thanks a lot for the reference!

(Increasingly, I'm starting to feel that a lot of things I figure out for myself - often while writing HN comments - is something that's been widely known for thousands of years. I guess I need to sit down and read some of those classic works.)

Nadya10y ago

I'm glad I followed TemPORal's post to the "parent". I also have not heard of this.

This particular bit startled me for the reflection I see in current day politics:

>During ochlocracy, according to Polybius, the people of the state will become corrupted, and will develop a sense of entitlement and will be conditioned to accept the pandering of demagogues.

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