Throughout history, power is amassed in two ways: by force or by persuasion.
Force itself when multiplied across a social dynamic is still ultimately dependent upon persuasion. Behind every great army, there is a deal. War is as much deal-cutting as it is bomb-throwing. In the recent centuries, it has become possible to amass great power by virtue of persuasion. Commerce has built its own version of the city-state. I want to understand why people say ‘yes.’ At the heart of this understanding is enormous power.
