Empire

David Fleming
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A pathological condition consisting of the usurpation, or surrender, of decision-making and sovereignty from smaller communities, including nation-states.

Empire is defined, not by physical boundaries, but by conformity in terms of ideology and compliance, which then has to be enforced. It generally presents itself as a force for peace, but the imposed conformity is a source of conflict, both external and internal. A repressive regime is likely to follow, and to persist until the empire breaks up.

Empire is the inverse of the modular and diverse structure of resilience. It can be resisted if it is recognised and tackled early: against the rhetoric of large scale—which consists of constantly-repeated violation of the System Scale Rule and boundless ambition—the only effective responses are patient explanation, early mockery and zero tolerance.97

 

Related entries:

Nation > Empire, Butterfly Effect, Groups and Group Sizes, Character.

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David Fleming
Dr David Fleming (2 January 1940 – 29 November 2010) was a cultural historian and economist, based in London, England. He was among the first to reveal the possibility of peak oil's approach and invented the influential TEQs scheme, designed to address this and climate change. He was also a pioneer of post-growth economics, and a significant figure in the development of the UK Green Party, the Transition Towns movement and the New Economics Foundation, as well as a Chairman of the Soil Association. His wide-ranging independent analysis culminated in two critically acclaimed books, 'Lean Logic' and 'Surviving the Future', published posthumously in 2016. These in turn inspired the 2020 launches of both BAFTA-winning director Peter Armstrong's feature film about Fleming's perspective and legacy - 'The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation?' - and Sterling College's unique 'Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time' online courses. For more information on all of the above, including Lean Logic, click the little globe below!

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