But all the actual productive capacity of the economy is in people who are making positive-sum contributions. The “nation” of positive-sum builders and helpers is, by necessity, richer than the “nation” of zero-sum takers. In actual resources if not dollars.
Here's the thing. It's *locally* rational to pay protection money to a thug who might protect you from other thugs. (Which is more or less what sexual attraction to powerful-but-amoral men is.) It's not rational if a large enough group can commit to not doing it.
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This is basically the same thing as "infantry can beat cavalry if they stay in formation but not if anybody turns and flees." Yes, it's a coordination problem! That's the whole point I'm trying to make!
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Recognizing that collectively you have more power than your enemies, and sticking to your positions even if it's scary, is an actual thing that can ever work, and history is full of examples.
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