The Lesser of All Evils

All forms of government have the potential to become a dystopia. This is because government is reliant on the individual(s) in power. It relies on their beliefs, their knowledge, and their whims. Although many forms of government impose systems to prevent complete chaos from ensuing (because of too liberal or too authoritative policies), more often than not the government fails to protect its citizens in some capacity.

Of all the forms of government listed, the one least likely to result in a dystopia would be tribalism. Tribalism is a government structure that promotes smaller, more interpersonal lifestyles for the betterment of the entire tribe. The only reason that tribalism is least likely to result in a dystopia is because tribalism hinges on smaller groups of people; therefore, it eliminates many of the problems surrounding larger governments. With tribalism, it is easier to impose laws and policies favorable to the entire tribe because there are fewer people to account for. In addition, tribalism would likely result in individuals with similar attributes (whether that be religion, ethnicity, political views, etc.) forming a tribe. This would, likely, decrease the number of disputes amongst the group thus leading to effective changes within the tribe. People who disagree could simply leave the tribe. Tribalism also implies that everyone cares for each other. Living becomes communal which eliminates competition (which would give rise to a dystopia). All-in-all tribalism is the most ideal form of government.

Tribalism, however, is not without its faults. For starters, tribalism is unfeasible in modern time. Unless a community had never been industrialized, it will be nearly impossible to persuade people to return to practices without the use of (most) modern technology. Tribalism, because of its dependence on a smaller society, can easily be thrown into anarchy. For example, if a tribe only consists of 100 people and a civil war breaks out, the effects would decimate the tribe and leave the remaining members in disarray. Tribalism also promotes utilitarian practices. Some people may grow to be selfish and would rather hoard resources, which could lead to competition and a very Hobbesian Jungle-like outcome.

As mentioned before, no government is free from a dystopian ending. Tribalism can still turn into a dystopian even if there are fewer institutional barriers. Tribalism, at least, promotes socialist ideas without relinquishing all power to the government. The society is small enough for the citizens to be the “checks and balances” system. This allows society to maintain its primary concern: the well being of the collective.

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