The cost of societal friction
It has been shown that complex organizations lose value due to cliques, segmentation, departmentalization, and other segregation mechanisms (1). In such situations, transaction costs increase, invalidating any advantages that come from bundling functions. This is equally true for countries, especially when observable features such as race, religion, and economics drive segmentation. Increasing societal friction may be a leading indicator of a predictable decline in such systems.
Diversity in a system enhances flexibility and its ability to weather shocks (1). However, it is possible that such advantages can be negated if the system suffers from societal friction. In this case, the inability to implement utility enhancing policies evenly could destroy them in shocks. If so, a benevolent autocrat may have a higher level of success in systems with high friction. However, it is an oxymoron as the world is still searching for such a mythical being.
One interesting question is whether there is a point of no return for a system after it reaches a level of segregation and societal friction.