Networks vs. Hierarchies: A Delicate Relationship
summary
Simple theory: history runs on interactions between hierarchies networks nature. The claim is that horizontally organized networks spontaneously generate innovation while hierarchies extract rents by offering protection and can co‑opt or crush networks. Evidence: the printing press drives a 99% fall in book prices and enables the Reformation; the Obamacare website exemplifies hierarchical failure vs. Silicon Valley; leaked Prism slide shows provider cooperation and the Googleplex illustrates hierarchies successfully controlling and profiting from networks.
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chapters (6)
- 0:00Intro
- 2:45Fritz Langs Metropolis
- 4:55Theory of History
- 8:50The Reformation
- 11:05The 20th Century
- 17:25The Revolution
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