The Pyramidal model of socio-economic structure extends into all levels and aspects of life. The political structure of almost any society can be represented as a pyramid. Even in older civilizations (which is where, in all likelihood, the idea of a pyramid originated) A pyramidal structure is clearly visible, starting with the "capstone", the king. The ministers, lords et al serve and the next level down and provide the direct connection between the king and the people. This is needed to facilitate the transference of power from the top to the bottom. The number of levels between the top and the bottom, while diluting the direct power of the king, serve to magnify and diversify the application of that power and in necessary for the over-all volume of the pyramid (the size of the kingdom) to grow. One of the first kingdoms to successfully grow past the single, local pyramid stage was likely the roman empire. By embracing the idea of the non-locality of empire they allowed the empire to grow past the limits of Rome and the direct power of the emperor. This allowed the emperor to be vulnerable to the coup de tat. With non-locality comes the possibility of the top of the pyramid becoming a symbol rather than a directly known leadership. In fact, at its peak, coining with the likeness of the emperor became necessary so the people would recognize the emperor and his authority. In the end the Roman empire grew past the limits of control possible without sophisticated command, control and communications systems and fragmented under increasing economic and social stresses. The ultimate collapse of the Roman empire was a forgone conclusion, but never really came. The eastern Roman empire slowly morphed into the Ottoman empire while the western Roman empire evolved (or devolved) into the Roman Catholic church and the holy roman empire which grew into western europe and the modern world. The meta-pyramid was born and never looked back. While the "Roman" empire collapsed it was from the top down and only to the mid level, the separate pyramids of socio-economic and political structure remained and regrew. The new "top" or "capstone" of the pyramid is the United States of America.

Here, in the United States, the multiple, interlocking pyramid structure has been raised to a new level of sophistication and inter-dependant power that now reaches internationally in scope and influence. Consider the political pyramid of democracy. first pioneered by the greek empire (which never mastered it.) and adopted by the Romans (who abandoned it in favor of the strong centrality of empire, but retained the concept in the form of the roman senate and local ruling entities) the United States has evolved it into what may be the most self-sustaining and fluid political structure in history. It starts on the very local level with county commissioners, elected sheriffs and city councilman. The next level up would be the structure of state government, which mirrors the structure of national and local government with elected Representatives, Representative group leadership (caucus leaders, state senators and governors who are state "presidents"). Finally, we arrive at the federal or "national" level of government. The structure is repeated again, but starts back down on the local level with the congressional districting with superimposes upon the local Representative districting. This completes the basic structure of power in the USA. It would be hard to imagine a structure so fluid, interlocking and comprehensive ever collapsing as it would only recreate itself very quickly as soon as the "smoke" cleared. That process is, in itself, coded into the complex of laws and statutes governing the succession of power in the US government in the event of a catastrophe. The Economic power pyramid of the US is far more extensive, fluid and interlocking in many ways. So much so that it has direct international reach and defies gravity. The one pyramid that has been de-emphasized is the social one, In times past this has been the basis of the formation of political and economic power in societies. This resulted in patriarchal (for the most part, naturally) and matriarchal stratification. With family being the basis of power positioning in the political (primarily) and economic structure. By eliminating this as the primary source of the origin of power, the structure of power became far more fluid and adaptive, more survivable. The economic pyramid went from static to highly dynamic and accelerated growth became possible. The political pyramid when from being personally identifiable to being a power structure in and of itself and no longer dependant upon the survival of a family line. Meta-pyramids. multiple, interlocking power structures. This is a formula for a true global power structure that transcends even political ideology create the means, application and transmission of power and a system that perpetuates itself irregardless of the fate of the individuals or ideologies that move through it. Paint the future in this style, see what you come up with.