A Great Founder Theory of History:

1. Preface

• Great Founder Theory is a set of analytical concepts explaining how Great Founders shape society through strategy, power, knowledge, and social technology.
• A small number of functional institutions founded by exceptional individuals form the core of society.
• Although replicated by the rest of society, these core institutions outcompete their copies and are responsible for the creation and renewal of society. However, like society, functional institutions are subject to decay over time.

2. Introduction: Great Founder Theory

3. On Building Theories of History

Social Engineering & Technologies:

1. Social Technology

2. How Social Engineering Drives Technology

Knowledge:

1. On the Loss and Preservation of Knowledge

2. Intellectual Dark Matter

3. Why Civilisations Collapse

Institutions:

1. Functional Institutions Are The Exception

2. Institutional Failure as Surprise

3. Live vs Dead Players

4. The Succession Problem

Power:

1. Borrowed vs Owned Power

2. Competition for Power

3. Empire Theory, Part I: Competitive Landscape

4. Empire Theory, Part II: Power Dynamics