The Iron Law

Authors

  • William Sims Bainbridge National Science Foundation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v6i3.7056

Keywords:

political sociology, Star Wars, game

Abstract

Star Wars: The Old Republic and Fallen Earth are two of the many recent online gameworlds that depict disintegrating and conflict-ridden societies, in which the very legitimacy of the law is in doubt. Thus they become vehicles for critique of real modern society, and intentionally or unintentionally reflect social-scientific theories of social disorganization, institutional functionality, and the origins of law. This essay examines these examples in terms of the Iron Law of Oligarchy proposed a century ago by Robert Michels, and related classical theories that either contradict or extend it.

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Published

2013-09-16

Issue

Section

Peer Reviewed Research Papers