SSH and Cliodynamics
The science of hierarchy and social collapse
Cliodynamics is a transdisciplinary area of research that integrates cultural evolution, economic history/cliometrics, macrosociology, the mathematical modeling of historical processes during the longue durée, and the construction and analysis of historical databases.[
Cliodynamics treats history as science. Its practitioners develop theories that explain such dynamical processes as the rise and fall of empires, population booms and busts, and the spread and disappearance of religions. These theories are translated into mathematical models. Finally, model predictions are tested against data. Thus, building and analyzing massive databases of historical and archaeological information is one of the most important goals of cliodynamics.
Now, one of the hallmarks of cliodynamics is the overproduction of elites. This overproduction leads to disappointment and disaffection, which tends to provide a source of elite leadership to the masses which are similarly disaffected due to extreme wealth inequalities and declining economic prospects.
In SSH terms, three questions that arise in this context are as follows:
Where are all the Alpha leaders of the past?
Why are there so many obvious Gammas in positions of wealth, influence, and power?
Are these two observations related to the historical process of societal collapse?
Now, cliodynamics focuses primarily on economics rather than cultural and social elements, but here is an area in which the SSH may be usefully applied to a scientific field, even if it is by doing nothing more than providing another red flag or indicator of social decline.
Certainly if one looks at the later Roman Empire, or indeed, any failing monarchy or democracy, one of the more obvious elements is the decline in SSH status on the part of the late-stage leaders in comparison with those who helped establish the polity. Indeed, the difference between the Senate leaders of Republican Rome and the various Caesars and Imperators of the failing Empire is hard to miss.
There is a three-generation problem with succession. While obviously not precise, the pattern often follows as such:
Alpha leader followed by High Delta/Bravo inheritor followed by Low Delta/Gamma.
Examples of this are King David followed by King Solomon followed by King Rehoboam or Genghis Kahn being dissatisfied with his grandchildren, who were greatly spoiled.
While Alphas do rise up after a time, it is very difficult for them to overcome the problems created by that third generation, and usually a lot of their work is undone by the third generation that follows.
And it doesn't have to apply to governmental leadership either. J. R. R. Tolkien works were upheld by his son Christopher, but after he died, we end up with The Rings of Power.
It's not precise, but it is a good primer on understanding how civilizations can start off very strong and end up very decadent in the end.
I was thinking about this the other day, and it is a very powerful connection indeed. It seems every major empire has a strong alpha leader or series of alpha leaders who push the empire or kingdom towards greatness, sometimes perhaps two or three successive kings that are alphas. Then they get some delta kings, and things start to go downhill. Finally, a gamma comes to power, and it all comes crashing down. This happened for example with Spain, whose power grew to dizzying heights under Charles I, a major alpha. After him came some delta kings, but when a great grandson was born with serious physical problems, gammas took over the running of the country, and the Spanish empire collapsed. We can also think of France, Louis the XIV, and then at the end with the French Revolution a weaker Louis XVI surrounded by gammas. The connections are uncanny. Another example: King David and then end of Solomon's reign. David, a major alpha, builds a powerful empire, and his son Solomon, a sigma, consolidates it even further. However, when his younger son Rehoboam takes over, he surrounds himself with gamma advisors and the kingdom is split into two. The list could go on and on: Babylon with Nabonidus, Assyria, etc. etc.
How is it gammas come to power in such a scenario? There must be a multi-faceted answer. First, I think alphas like to be pioneers and form their own kingdoms, so they may not be as drawn to a successful nation or empire as much as to building something on their own, therefore they might not be as interested in rising to power there. Second, empires provide a place of comfort for citizens, and I believe we can say this causes more gammas to appear in the population overall. Comfort is a death knell for character. More gammas in the population=more gammas in positions of power.
Finally, I think one other reason is that power is a magnet call to gammas. The gamma craves and lusts after power. In a strong empire or country gammas are like moths drawn to the flame. If there is a strong alpha in place to squash them like bugs, then it's not a problem. But the minute someone a bit weaker gets in they start to worm their way into the system. And then the rot becomes too much to bear and it comes crashing down.
Those are simplistic answers and there's more but I think that's the basic idea.