No framework captures total reality.
This section defines what this framework does not claim.
Not a Moral Theory
This framework does not determine what societies should value.
It examines what societies can sustain.
Moral disagreement does not alter structural dependency.
Not Predictive Precision
The framework does not predict dates, events, or specific outcomes.
It identifies trajectories and pressure accumulation.
Timing varies.
Direction is consistent.
Cultural Expression
Cultures differ in how principles manifest.
Norm enforcement in Japan differs from enforcement in Rome.
Reciprocity in Byzantium differs from reciprocity in Canada.
The framework abstracts dependency, not expression.
Data Imperfection
All societies generate imperfect data.
The framework accounts for:
- Measurement error
- Reporting bias
- Institutional distortion
Trends matter more than point values.
Human Agency
This framework does not deny human choice.
It recognises constraint.
Agency operates within structure.
Structure sets limits on viable choice.
External Shocks
Wars, disasters, and technological change can accelerate or obscure structural dynamics.
They do not eliminate dependency.
External shocks reveal structure rather than replace it.
Final Boundary
This framework explains why systems strain or endure.
It does not guarantee correction.
Correction requires political will, institutional capacity, and timing.
The framework identifies when those requirements are narrowing.