mburns's Journal: Political Order

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/science/08fukuyama.html?pagewanted=all

âoeThe Origin of Political Orderâ, by Professor Francis Fukuyama, seems (to me) to make fundamental points. It is an ongoing struggle to suppress older methods of government: personal vengeance, nepotism, gangs, tribal war gods, graft, bribery and patronage.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/a-history-of-americas-eleven-nations-20111006

âoeAmerican Nationsâ, by Colin Woodard, identifies me as a citizen of Yankeedom, a secular puritan who sees government as a serious contributor to an ideal society. Maybe the nation competing for sovereignty over Grand Rapids is the Midlands, where emotional and intellectual detachment from government is the norm.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/09/14/a_dictators_handbook_for_the_president?page=0,0

âoeThe Dictatorâ(TM)s Handbookâ, by Professors Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith, expounds on the stability of systems other than democracies. President Obamaâ(TM)s inclusive coalition is a fairly fragile accident of history.

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Michael J. Burns