Samo Burja’s Empire Theory is relevant here: there is a fierce competition for resources in any domain, and a large proportion of an empire’s capabilities is necessarily spent maintaining central infighting—necessarily because coordination between players is _bloody expensive_. The efficient market hypothesis is a convenient coordination mechanism; it reduces mobility between power classes making longer term strategies—and empires—more viable.
Samo Burja’s Empire Theory is relevant here: there is a fierce competition for resources in any domain, and a large proportion of an empire’s capabilities is necessarily spent maintaining central infighting—necessarily because coordination between players is _bloody expensive_. The efficient market hypothesis is a convenient coordination mechanism; it reduces mobility between power classes making longer term strategies—and empires—more viable.