A sea power sufficiently hegemonic to enforce peace (The Pax Minoica) and the principle of “free ships, free goods” on the high seas. This sort of hegemony is called Thassalocracy. Historically, Leviathans have been fairly Minoan in character, and have generally been more or less sea-bound, only wandering occasionally upon the land. In these rare cases, Thassalocracy crosses over the line into Maritime Empire, which generally weakens Leviathan and provokes unnecessary Theseanism (and risks transforming Leviathan into Behemoth) While such Imperial behavior is occasionally necessary to maintain the Thassalocracy, it should always be done in such a way that Leviathan is extremely constrained. International institutions, clearly stated and limited objectives, and broad coalitions are good tools for binding Leviathan when this is necessary. Leviathans are fiscal-military states which maximize tax revenue, and so generally co-opt the merchant class by giving them freedoms and political power.
Related terms: Minoan, Thassalocracy, Behemoth, Pax Minoica
0 comments:
Post a Comment