Game Theory of Sovereignty
(by William Butchman)
a) Eli’s Theorem: “If you would be SOVEREIGN, you must fight. If you would win, you must confederate. If you would confederate, you must compromise. If you would compromise, you must accept limits on your actions. SOVEREIGNTY will be won only by those who desire to exercise it within limits considered reasonable by their peers.”
b) Aristocratic Egalitarianism: Given the non-negotiable necessity of compromise inherit in confederation, Peerage is necessary, meaning that an egalitarianism is inherit within the circle of confederates, members cannot be subordinates under compulsion, members are equals. Conversely, despotism/tyranny destroys the incentive to cooperate thus: execution of tyrants (Julius Caesar). limited monarchy: Magna Carta, constitutional monarchy.
c) Meritocracy (open entrance into aristocracy): As the sovereigns (aristocrats) will always be a tiny minority and the demands of sovereignty are great (expensive), a common strategy is to distribute the cost as widely as possible. So, rather than actively suppressing entrance to the Peerage, the incentive to encourage (maximize) entrance by all who display the desire and ability: Meritocracy.
d) War: Sovereignty may only be won through martial prowess.
e) Science: The high cost of war creates great incentive for an accurate understanding of the physical universe, that military action may be prosecuted successfully.
f) Contractualism: The high cost of military action demands that the participants swear oaths of loyalty even to death and then deliver on those oaths, formalized into contracts of cooperation.
g) Trust: Inherent in contract, which is a promise to pay, is the concept of trust. (I feel like this is not explanatory enough).