Ideology and the evolution of vital institutions: a synopsis

Abstract

Charlie Hickson and I have recently completed a book with the same main title as this paper. Dedicated readers who get past the abstract social-theory, evolutionary-game-theory, and early history in the introductory chapters are typically enthusiastic about the book's unique line of argument. But readers who quit before completing this material are frequently nonplused. Perhaps we should have started with a contemporary issue, backed into the earlier history, and introduced the general theory only after developing the empirical-historical argument that suggests it. The following is a reader's guide for such a reverse-order reading and a heuristic synopsis of the book.