3. Direction of the Cycles: Reversal ( Reverse Direction )
Limitation of options (“decision-ready”)
Legislation, information restrictions, Guidance, Rights constraints
Resource acquisition
- ( Environment) Exploitation, Tourism, Market capture, Tax evasion
- ( International) Acquisition of universal rights, Colonization
Boundary condition deterioration
- (International) International law, International cooperation rules, Economic blockade, Limitation of action by global public opinion
- (Environment) Pollution, Increased expenditure due to environmental degradation
Now let’s consider the reverse direction of the cycle. Restrictions from the “government” to the “people” are imposed through legal regulations and restrictions on the use of information. It is a “limitation of the people’s (decision-making) options.”
Efforts from the “people” to the “world” are shown through the acquisition of universal rights (such as human rights) and the establishment of colonies in terms of international society, and through tourism and resource exploitation in terms of the environment. This is the “acquisition of resources” from the world by the people.
Pressures from the world on the government are constraints imposed by international rules such as global laws for the international community and increased expenditures due to environmental changes such as pollution for the environment. Under pressure from the world, the government faces “deteriorating boundary conditions.”
The figure shows the cycles in the forward and reversal directions for comparison.
In the three-layer cycle, as long as either the forward or reverse cycle is established at a given time, power is divided. Even if there is a temporary imbalance, it is still divided when it can be recovered either naturally or through institutional settings.
If we look at the examples above (e.g., “resource acquisition”), which direction is “correct” locally is quite a relative matter. What is necessary is that the division of power is maintained, i.e., that a partial reversal of the arrow does not lead to the fixation of the weak.
Please note that if you do not understand this point and only stick to the fact that the direction of the local arrow can go either way, it is easy to be led to the attitude of everything depends on the speaker’s position.
Therefore, maintaining the division of power is essential, but the mechanism to resist the perpetuation of a temporary imbalance is not inherent in the three-layer cycle. It is the goal of the following article to consider the point.
Next Article: Conclusion
Credits: Original idea by Asaki NISHIKAWA, Draft written by Toshihiro FURUYA, Drawing by Yoshimi KIKUYA, Simultaneous editing by VECTION
