Positive Feedback

Positive feedback increases deviation from equilibrium.

Civilization includes positive feedback between population, intensity of production, and organization.  Each of these elements reinforce the others.  This creates a vicious cycle.

As population ↑, intensity ↑
As intensity ↑, demand for administration ↑
As administration ↑, intensity ↑
As intensity ↑, population ↑

The result is that civilizations should rise with great speed but should also be inherently unstable.

 


            ↑__________↑   ↑____________↑
     Population       Intensity      Administration
            ↑__________↑   ↑____________↑

characteristics