There are a set of nesting geopolitical systems that have evolved to handle complex societal situations/problems. One can add or subtract from this tentative list, depending on what complex system one is interested in managing.
digraph G { rankdir=BT subgraph cluster0 {label = "VSM Levels (recursions)"; node [style=filled, color=aquamarine]; style=filled; color=lightgrey; {Individual -> {Association Family rank=same} -> Neighborhood -> Town -> City -> CountyWatershed -> State -> Region -> Nation -> Continent -> World [label="EV" color=blue penwidth=2]} } subgraph cluster0 {label = "VSM Levels (recursions)"; node [style=filled, color=aquamarine]; style=filled; color=lightgrey; {World -> Continent -> Nation -> Region -> State -> CountyWatershed -> City -> Town -> Neighborhood -> {Association Family} -> Individual [label="EV" color=red penwidth=2]} } // subgraph cluster1 {label = "Sources of Health"; node [style=filled];style=filled; color=white; SocialServices -> EnvironmentalSafety -> Mobility -> SocialInteraction -> Curosity -> EducationalAttainment -> ParksTrailsPaths -> PreventionProtection -> HealthyFoodDietAtHome -> OTCDrugs -> DentalCare -> Nutrition -> AlternativeMedicine -> TrafficSafety -> HomeSafety -> RollBalance -> MentalHealth; color="#00c3ff" } // subgraph cluster2 {label = "Healthy Systems" node [style=filled, color=azure]; style=filled; color=yellow; HealthyIndividual -> HealthyFamily -> HealthyNeighborhood -> HealthyTown -> HealthyCity -> HealthyCountyWaterShed -> HealthyState -> HealthyRegion -> HealthyNation -> HealthyContinent -> HealthyWorld; } // subgraph cluster5 {label = "MedicalSystemComponents"; node [style=filled, color=aquamarine]; style=filled; color=lightgrey; DME -> Robotics -> RxDrugs -> ProcedureSurgery -> CommunicationTech -> Sensors -> Facilities -> Skills } // subgraph cluster3 {label = "Sick Systems" node [style=filled, color=azure]; style=filled; color=pink; IllIndividual -> IllFamily -> IllNeighborhood -> IllTown -> IllCity -> IllCountyWaterShed -> IllState -> IllRegion -> IllNation -> IllContinent -> IllWorld; } // subgraph cluster4 {label = "Sources of Dis-ease" node [style=filled, color=bisque]; style=filled; color=red; Misinformation -> Racism -> Poverty -> Fear -> LowEducationalAttainment -> Conflict -> Greed -> NeoliberalEconomicsRichGetRicher -> Enclosure ; label = "Sources of Dis-ease"} //start -> EnvironmentalSafety //start -> HealthyIndividual; //start -> Individual //start -> IllIndividual; //start -> Misinformation // HealthyWorld -> end // World -> end // IllWorld -> end //start [shape = Mdiamond] // end [shape=Msquare] // subgraph cluster6 {label = "Security System" Insurance -> HouseholdSecurity -> NeighborhoodWatch -> TownPolice -> CityPolice -> CountySheriff ->StatePolice -> NationalGuard -> NationalMilitary -> WorldPolice} // subgraph cluster7 {label = "PubHealth System" {NeighborhoodCommHealthWorkerCoord -> CityPublicHealth -> CountyPublicHealth -> StatePublicHealth -> NationalPublicHealth ->WorldPublicHealth [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster8 {label = "Economic System" {HomeEconomics -> NeighborhoodEconomicSystem -> CityEconomicSystem -> CountyEconomicSystem -> RegionEconomicSystem -> StateEconomicSystem -> NationalEconomicSystem -> WorldEconomicSystem [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster9 {label = "Finance System" {NeighborhoodFinanceSystem -> CountyFinanceSystem -> StateFinanceSystem -> NationalFinanceSystem -> WorldFinanceSystem [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster10 {label = "Court System" {MunicipalCourt -> CountyCourt-> StateCourt -> FederalCourt -> SupremeCourt -> WorldCourt [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster11 {label = "Food System" {HouseholdGardens -> CommunityGardens -> Farms -> Markets -> GroceryStores [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster12 {label = "Medical Care" {MotherHealthRole -> HomeFirstAid -> NeighborhoodCommHealthWorker -> EMS -> Pharmacies -> Clinic -> Hospital -> TirtiaryCare -> QuaternaryCare [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster13 {label = "Safe Behaviors" SafeSex -> Food -> Drugs -> Noise -> Kenetic-> Social-> Thought-> Online } // subgraph cluster14 {label = "Land Use" {Forests -> Commons -> Homesteads -> Aggriculture -> Recreation -> Roads -> CommercialLand [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster15 {label = "Energy" {Nuclear -> Electromagnetic -> Heat -> Chemical ->Kinetic -> Electric -> Ionizing [label = EV]} } // subgraph cluster16 {label = "Polution" {IndividualPolution -> HouseholdPolution -> NeighborhoodPolution -> TownPolution -> CityPolution -> CountyPolution -> StatePolution -> RegionalPolution -> NationalPolution -> WorldPolution [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster17 {label = "Finance System" { Gifts -> Exchange -> Barter -> Currency -> Equity -> LoansDebt [label = EV]}} // subgraph cluster18 {label = "Economic System" Demand -> Production -> Use -> Surplus -> Market} // Individual -> {Online Social Kinetic Noise Drugs Mobility EducationalAttainment Curosity Online IndividualPolution ParksTrailsPaths SafeSex Food} [color=Red] // Family -> {Online Social Kinetic Noise Drugs Food MotherHealthRole HomeEconomics HouseholdGardens HouseholdPolution HouseholdSecurity ParksTrailsPaths} [color=Blue] // Neighborhood -> {Social Kinetic Noise Drugs NeighborhoodEconomicSystem Food NeighborhoodFinanceSystem CommunityGardens Clinic Pharmacies NeighborhoodPolution GroceryStores NeighborhoodWatch} [color=green] // Town -> {Social Hospital TownPolution TownPolice} [color=orange] // City -> {Social Kinetic CityPublicHealth TirtiaryCare CityPolution MunicipalCourt CityPolice} [color=orchid1] // CountyWatershed -> {Social CountyPublicHealth CountyEconomicSystem CountyFinanceSystem Farms CountySheriff CountyCourt CountyPolution} // State -> {Kinetic StatePublicHealth StateEconomicSystem StatePolution StateFinanceSystem Insurance StatePolice NationalGuard StateCourt} [color=sienna] // Region -> { } [color=slateblue1] // Nation -> {Online Kinetic NationalPublicHealth NationalPolution NationalEconomicSystem NationalFinanceSystem NationalMilitary FederalCourt SupremeCourt} [color=steelblue3] // Continent -> {} [color=tomato] // World -> {WorldFinanceSystem WorldEconomicSystem WorldPublicHealth WorldCourt WorldPolice WorldPolution} [color=turquoise3] }
Think of each arrows labeled "EV" in the diagrams as Requests for Help. Ask who is best able to understand the problem and best able to participate in the solution in some particular way. It is unusual that any one level can completely take care of a complex problem without interplay with levels above and below.
There is a major imbalance in how we approach problem solving among the three major approaches: civil (commons-local), private (business-local to global), and public (government-local to global). Ostrom's idea of Polycentricity is key in integrating all three forms of problems solving. We must analyze every problem and ask what geopolitical scales need to participate in the solution.
The question to ask is always, "What is it that a particular level cannot manage well and what level can best help in the long run." The critical rule is to take care of everything at the lowest (most practical) level. (Subsidiarity)
Often fear or hurry cause lower levels to ask for help when they could have better taken care instead of asking for help.
Often fear and hurry lead higher levels to impose poorly fitting policies and constraints on lower, more practical levels.
Try to avoid requests that weaken and helping that harms.
Help with problem solving goes both directions. Where the highest variety depends upon what kinds of systems are being considered.
Open the page links below or play with the graph below. Click on some of the recursions (nodes in the graph). These subgraphics are illustrative, not accurate nor complete.
Individual Perspective bottom-up version of excess variety.
World Perspective top-down version of excess variety which risk being misleading.
Combined Perspective of Individual up and World down which may create more confusing.
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# It will be informative to apply this analysis to all 17 of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
DOT strict digraph rankdir=LR node [shape=box style="solid,rounded,filled" fillcolor=lightyellow penwidth=3 color=black] HERE NODE node [style="solid,rounded,filled" fillcolor=white penwidth=1 color=black] edge [style=solid penwidth=1 color=black] BACKLINKS NODE -> HERE node [style="dotted,rounded,filled" penwidth=1 fillcolor=white color=grey] edge [style=dotted penwidth=1 color=grey] HERE BACKLINKS NODE -> HERE STATIC strict digraph {rankdir=LR node [shape=box style="solid,rounded,filled" fillcolor=lightyellow penwidth=3 color=black]