Comment Re:Oh (Score 1) 141
Well, Excession does touch on those subjects to a degree. The way I've understood the Culture it really lacks the cohesion to have what would be recognized as some sort of formal decision making process, so most likely SC ends up doing what SC does because a decent sized group of minds feel like it and nobody can stop them (or feels strongly enough about it to make any significant attempt).
In Excession you see the same thing happening on multiple levels. You have the Interesting Time Gang deciding on and taking action. You have the faction entraping the Affront. You have the GCU Grey Area engaging in its own brand of contact work. Apart from social pressure, when dealing in pretty much infinitely powerful entities it's very hard to enforce norms even when significant aberrations occur.