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CGP Grey - The Rules for Rulers
(www.youtube.com)
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this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2024
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This video, and the book it's based on, unironically started my transition from neoliberal to democratic socialist.
Which I think is funny, because I don't think the authors, Bruce Bueno De Mesquita and Alistair Smith, are particularly leftist.
I assume the video is based on "The Dictator's Handbook" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dictator%27s_Handbook?
The video, helps for me, conceptualise the rationale where one sees some of the decisions that take place in the world.
Makes me think past an individual and questions how an action is targeted for a result.
That's right.
While the video is a good summary of the framing of the book (the selectorate theory of politics), I still recommend reading the book if you find the topic interesting. They go into a bunch of case studies on how you can apply the framing in wildly different circumstances, and make a very compelling case for how increasing the numbers of participants in a system improves the outcomes for everyone involved.
The video had a good example on how important voting in a functional democracy is, as it applies pressure and weakens the grip of stronger "keys" as the ones in charge must try to balance self-interest with survival. It also shows how this power can also be used against itself as those in charge try to manipulate the system towards a desired outcome.
Also thank you for confirming what book the video is based on
I think there's 2 kinds of people. One kind reads or watches this and thinks "this is horrible and this system should be abolished", while the other kind thinks "I need to screw others over so I can retain what power I have, and try increase it". The second kind includes the "temporarily financially embarrassed" who see socialism as a terrible thing even if it would benefit them.
Something that i think is important to understand about this, and while Grey does mention it, its brief and towards the end, is that this framework isn't unique to governments. These patterns show up in human organization at basically every level.
So I'm going to push back on the idea that
Depending on what "this system" means to you.
I think it's much more useful to understand the incentives at play and build systems that minimize the damage consolidated power can do, and limit the ability for power to accumulate. That is... very much easier said than done, but I think it's needed effort.
I totally agree. I guess that's also what I meant but couldn't express.
My comment was about our current society. But it applies to lots of things like family relationships, work etc.