Coordination Without Consolidation: How Systems of States Multiply Inward

Coordination Without Consolidation: On Systems of States [pdf]

I argue that centralisation is not just an external threat to decentralised systems but an emergent property of successful coordination. As systems like the United States scale, the proliferation of new jurisdictions creates denser interdependence, demanding shared standards and interpretive authority. The challenge is not merely creating decentralised systems, but sustaining meaningful autonomy as the need for integration grows, forcing a choice between coordination and consolidation.

"The danger is not always immediate consolidation into a single state, but the quieter centralisation of the authority needed to coordinate a system of states."