The Power Matrix: A Graphical Guide to History, Socialism, and the Left-Right Divide

America seems divided as never before, segregated into political tribes with antithetical beliefs. But are these sides really that different? Does virtue lie at just one political extreme? On what are our political opinions and affiliations based? Is one side correct and the other wrong? Is the divide really a conflict between socialism and capitalism, and if so, what do these ideologies mean and how did they evolve?

The Power Matrix attempts to answer these questions graphically using the simple assumption that everything in the universe is based on energy. This basic understanding allows one to construct graphs chronicling how different forms of complexity emerged. Human society is just another complex system that conforms to the laws of nature. Examining the origins and evolution of society allows us to see the modern world in context and explains why our current circumstances are so unique and fragile. Perhaps this perspective will make it easier for Americans and to discover that our friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens who disagree with us are not immoral or ignorant, and that maybe everyone has a unique perspective and something worthwhile to say.

Peter Hetherington is an exploration geologist/geophysicist in Houston, Texas. He is also the author of Unvanquished: Joseph Pilsudski, Resurrected Poland, and the Struggle for Eastern Europe.