by Bill Joslin
This undergirds my issue with intergenerational transfer of title status, as well status by recognition.
I’ll deal with the later fist. A corporate body which grants status by recognition – for instance induction into peerage provides a means corrupting market information via gatekeeping.
An alternative, which you can find in brehon law, stems from demonstration alone. You demonstrate position.
For instance in brehon law a Freeman was defined by the holder of two lots of a set size. If a Freeman extended his landholding to a particular size he would rise in status to an interim landholder. If these lands were held over two generations the family would be considered official nobility.
What dictates membership to elite status stems from demonstration not recognition. If you demonstrate ability, it can not be denied or ignored.
Intergenerational transfer should be combined with demonstration of ability at the coming of age. The “shrrt sleeves” are not always passed on or received across generations. If offspring do not demonstrate worthiness they lose the social-political standing.
The combination of the above prevents spoiled children of great people from “gaming” the system to protect their status (gatekeeping) and incentivizes those who have risen to ensure their offspring are capable or risk losing their legacy.
I could go into more reasons but this covers the gist of it.