The most powerful members of our society work in predictable ways. So do those who join them.

The knowledge and practices needed for civilization to flourish are commonly lost. Thinkers in the Late Zhou dynasty of ancient China recognized the decline of their era and attempted to overcome it.

Technology doesn’t disrupt society. Society adopts technology through a process of social re-engineering. This can’t happen without functional institutions.

The Botswanan elite have prudently handled the succession problem, potential rival power centers, Cold War tensions, and ethnic politics. This has allowed Botswana to defy troubles that would otherwise result in a basket case state.