My prediction is that the combined proliferation of startup societies and the collapse of the global capitalist order and the nation-states that are its components will probably produce systems that look not unlike modern versions of the Holy Roman Empire, a hodgepodge of independent or semi-independent but often interlocking territories and institutions that are completely self-contradictory in nature.

The Holy Roman Empire is not only an ironic concept, it’s also weirdly complicated. Learn how many titles the rulers needed to see how cool they were trying to be or why the Emperor’s rule was only semi-optional.