consider a grid of cells, each with a value between 0 and 1
1 represents absolute power. 0 represents absolute weakness, or slavery if you will.
all cells start off with a value of 0.4-0.6 to represent natural variation in abilities. this is "primitive communism" cells can slowly accumulate power from the environment through their independent or cooperative labor. in the case of cooperative labor they share the proceeds. cells can also become bound to each other in groups of arbitrary size through confederation. cells can also rob their neighbors of power through competitive behavior. there are two flavors of competitive behavior "envious" where you try to rob a stronger neighbor, but have a higher chance of losing, but also a bigger reward, and "wrathful" where you rob a weaker neighbor, with a higher chance of winning, but also a lower reward. similarly cooperative behavior has two flavors, "philanthropic" where a cell tries to help weaker neighbors, even though they help they get back will be less than they gave away, and "pragmatic" where a cell tries to help stronger neighbors in exchange for protection.
what we find is that power accumulates very quickly in cells, and that "primitive communism" falls apart very quickly. the simulation, no matter how equal it is configured to start out in, very quickly devolves into "class society."
we also find that cells tend to favor "wrathful" competitive behaviors and "pragmatic" cooperative behaviors, sucking up to the powerful, and punching down on the weak. Confederations of cells, when they do form, reproduce these behaviors at the group level, punching down on weaker groups, and sucking up to stronger groups.
The limit to this process seems to be the material available for consumption in the environment.
what we have yet to discover is a way to achieve equal-ish distribution of power that is relatively stable.
our simulation studies continue…
uygha just read Capital it's not that hard😭😭