The Body Corporate

Atlantis is an island nation which for most of its existence relied on exclusive corporatism to conduct its affairs. A group of magnates, elected from a pool of the meritocratic or other-cratic elite, ran the island as a Platonic republic.

In recent years, this has become different; perhaps in the last quarter-century, things have changed to a more inclusive corporatism. The more cynical would say that this is just exclusive corporatism with a strong co-opting policy. I'm not so sure. Even mighty Atlantis would sink beneath the waves if not for the magical talent keeping the ocean at bay.

What I think is true is that the other forces, the para-elites who claim that the corporate governance excludes them, are part of the tension that keeps the island nation viable. By doing the things the magnates can't do in public, by being magnates without being government, they help weave the axons of Atlantis into the neural network of the world.

Yes, it is essential for survival. No, it need not be done this way. Yes, it will always be unfair to somebody. No, you can't always have fairness or agree on what justice is.