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Comment by devmor | Hacker News Reader

> This is how greatness fades away and a nation becomes uselessly sclerotic and irrelevant.

It's also how stability is maintained and a nation remains safe and trustworthy.

Historically this has not been true. The more ossified the bureaucracy becomes the less able it is to adapt and innovate which eventually leads to replacement or revolution.

Do you have some historical examples?

The Roman Empire would like to have a word with you

https://fee.org/articles/bureaucracy-kills-a-lesson-from-rom...

Who is FEE? They look like a libertarian advocacy organization, complete with an 'education' wing.

They absolutely are.

https://fee.org/about/board-of-trustees

The Fabian Extend and Embrace Society?

Ossification leads to instability for numerous reasons, not the least of which being that it encourages people to just ignore authorities and go around them. This leads to a culture of routine corruption where people break the law just to get things done, which can lead to a full-blown mafia state or to collapse and revolution.

Is that really true though? Do you have an example of bureaucratic ossification leading to a mafia state? Is there evidence that is how any mafia or mafia state has arises? Is there any evidence that bureaucracy has played a role in a revolution or was a causal factor?

I'd be interested to know if you do get examples. Also interested to know whether you were able to find evidence and examples for the prior claim that "It's also how stability is maintained and a nation remains safe and trustworthy."

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