Not sure if you’ve noticed, but people are angry—especially at the state. Especially in the West.

Nothing seems to work. We’re paying more and more for less and less. We aren’t safe on our streets. Everything we do attracts a tax or a public consultation. And whether in the public or private sector, jobs seem to be disappearing.

It’s ridiculous.

There are plenty of good and accurate explanations for this, but the one I find most compelling is what I call the ‘secretarial autofac’.

ORIGIN OF THE TERM ‘AUTOFAC’

The concept comes from Philip K. Dick’s short story ‘Autofac’.

Synopsis: Set years after an apocalyptic world war, Autofac describes a world where humanity’s ability to control its automated factories (autofacs) has been lost. These robots relentlessly consume resources to produce goods they perceive as essential. When humanity tries to reclaim control to rebuild civilization, the autofacs resist—operating with such blind efficiency that they leave the future of humanity and the planet in doubt.

Human survivors are forced to steal supplies and seek ways to regain power over their own production systems.

I see a similar dynamic in the modern public sector.

The secretarial class—along with the inclusive political and economic institutions they sustain—were once essential. Indeed, these systems were what made a nation civilised and were pivotal to the West’s economic success (as detailed in the novel prize winning work ‘Why Nations Fail’).

🔗 LINK: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2012/08/21/book-review-why-nations-fail-the-origins-of-power-prosperity-and-poverty/#:~:text=In%20Why%20Nations%20Fail%20Acemoglu,73).

However, much like Dick’s autofacs, these institutions now churn out endless processes, regulations, taxes, consultations, and mini bureaucracies (quangos). They’re self-perpetuating machines, incapable of stopping, and we’ve collectively forgotten how to switch them off.

THE SOLUTION?

National self-disruption.

In a previous article, I argued that if given the opportunity, we would completely rebuild the energy grid from the ground up using the latest innovations and technology—resulting in a system 100X better than the one we’ve inherited.

🔗 LINK: https://article.app/mprinparr/decentralised-grids-energy-islands

The same principle applies to the nation-state, particularly older ones like the UK.

National self-disruption (as opposed to our current self-destruction) offers a way to innovate at the governance level while keeping society functional and vested interests docile.

In practice, this involves establishing a tech-forward administrative zone or city state within the country’s borders. Unlike charter cities or special economic zones, these zones would serve as prototypes for a new operating model for the entire nation—unburdened by existing constraints and historical baggage.

They would need to be:

• More seriously developed than a testbed • Less constrained than the original country • Run by the best talent available, for the enjoyment of residents. (Like a hotel)

This isn’t a completely new idea, but it would be the first time it’s done intentionally, at this scale, and for this purpose.

The concept draws inspiration from Clayton Christensen’s Innovator’s Dilemma and the idea of self-disruption. (In software, you’d call this forking.)

The basic premise is to “fork” the main organization into a new entity that leverages the latest technology, cost structures, talent, and business models—free from the constraints of legacy systems and risk-averse leadership. Think of Polestar and Volvo.

If successful, the offshoot disrupts the incumbent, allowing the organization to transition into the new entity and thrive—until the next near-extinction event requires another reinvention.

🔗 LINK: https://hbr.org/2015/12/what-is-disruptive-innovation

In sci-fi, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series is essentially about a galactic human empire self-disrupting to avoid a 30,000-year dark age.

In history, the UK has a proven track record of successful, albeit involuntary, spin-offs—most notably the United States of America. Others, such as Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, are among the most prosperous places in the world.

WHY IT MATTERS

National self-disruption could save the West from its own “30,000-year secretarial dark age” by enabling nations to accelerate progress while experimenting safely and strategically. It could also create a kind of free market for governance.

Imagine if every European country—including the UK—established a tech-forward micro-state with the explicit purpose of building its future self. This approach could double the number of truly attractive places to live, boost GDP, spark a positive cultural arms race, and accelerate governance innovation in ways humanity has never seen before.

It’s disruptive, yes—but far better than the stagnation, revolution or destruction we’re sleep walking into.

GSTK @mprinparr