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This blog discusses ideas, drafts and papers about the whole spectrum of systems theory and anything else that concerns the WissTec R&D Services UG.27.5.2020 - Social Systems Security 2:
A brief introduction to ideostrategy.
(by Eike Scholz) Before I start defining the concept of ideostrategy, a brief introduction into the conceptual frame will be provided. The modern state is one of the most prominent examples of a social social system. Its theory and maintenance are discussed in several fields. The broader topic is called geopolitics. Caspian Reports is currently running an interesting introductory series. Geopolitics, as its etymology suggests, is centered around the idea of physical space and its resources. However, modern states have constitutions and are intrinsically build around concepts and ideas. These are commonly coded as law into a constitution. In the age of information technology the focus on "geo-" in geostrategy conceptually misses important aspects of geopolitical decision making. I therefore propose the concept of ideostrategy for the realm of geopolitics. Definition of ideostrategy: An ideostrategy is any strategy for achieving political objectives by creating or manipulating the ideas and concepts that are used to govern individual or collective decision making. Despite not having a word, ideostrategy is an old and well established topic. The theory of propaganda and public relations discusses a lot of well established ideostrategies. In addition there is an old war stratagem that states, that land can be retaken, time never. It is implicit in Sun Tzus classic "The Art of War". The stratagem is explicit stratagem number 11 Robert Greenes contemporary book "The 33 Strategies of War". Taking an explicit ideostrategic outlook on war further allows strategies, that continue after all land has been lost and thus after the war has been lost by traditional understandings of war. But ideostrategy is not bound to military realm. It is ubiquitous. For example, the well known in economics as following well known quote from Jon Maynard Keynes clearly expresses:
Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist. Madmen in authority, who hear voices in the air, are distilling their frenzy from some academic scribbler of a few years back.In fact, ideas and concepts are the primary source of conscious individual behavior. This follows from the semantic meaning of conscious decision making. Even, if one does not subscribe to the concept of methodological individualism, one will not deny that ideas form and guide the political landscapes to a significant extent. From history it should be obvious, that understanding ideostrategy is essential to secure modern social systems like states.