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by JumpCrisscross 231 days ago
> not clear to me why a multigenerational dynasty specifically is a bad thing?

Aristocracies are more stable but less efficient. That creates an incentive for corruption when growth inevitably stalls. Which leads to catastrophic instability.
1 comments
terminalshort 231 days ago
There is minimal incentive for corruption in a hereditary aristocracy. Status is determined by birthright rather than accumulation of money. And if you are a lord and do need money, you have the power to tax it legally anyway. So what incentive is there to make or take a bribe? It won't change who your parents are.
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JumpCrisscross 231 days ago
> Status is determined by birthright rather than accumulation of money. And if you are a lord and do need money, you have the power to tax it legally anyway

Lords being unconcerned with—and constrained by—wealth characterises all (EDIT: none of the) non-market societies that I know of. In part because basic economics constrains the society as a whole, even if they’re ignorant of its principles.

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terminalshort 231 days ago
Right. I'm not saying anything about economics not applying, only that the incentive for corruption is absent.
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JumpCrisscross 231 days ago
Sorry, I managed to reverse my argument with a typo.

> only that the incentive for corruption is absent

What historic civilisation are you thinking of?

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TheCoelacanth 231 days ago
Aristocracy itself is state sanctioned corruption. The law is made to privilege certain people above others instead of serving the common good.
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terminalshort 231 days ago
Corruption has a meaning, and it's not "the law is unfair."
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TheCoelacanth 230 days ago
"illegal, bad, or dishonest behaviour, especially by people in positions of power"[1]

"Corruption is the dishonest, fraudulent, or criminal use of entrusted authority or power for personal gain or other unlawful or unethical benefits."[2]

Every single aristocracy absolutely fits those definitions. The norm in every aristocracy is to disregard the law in favor of what benefits those in power and to apply the law unequally depending on the desires of rulers.

[1] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/corrupti...

[2] https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/corruption

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ceejayoz 230 days ago
This is so deeply wrong on so many levels I'm rather fascinated by it.
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