David Friedman’s Substack • 143 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
- Established rules of allegiance and obligation create predictable political order, and leaders who follow those rules can rely on their supporters.
- When leaders break those norms and use raw power or betrayal, they lose respect and loyalty from key allies, which invites revolt and collapse.
- The same logic applies today: using sheer force to grab territory or ignore accepted norms (for example, trying to seize Greenland) is a strategic mistake because it destroys the invisible bonds that hold political order together.