I was listening to a YouTube video about Quantum Physics and Julian Schwinger, which got me thinking about how political and societal vacuums also get filled. Here’s what I came up with:

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Vacuums Always Get Filled

Foreword

In both the physical world and human society, vacuums tend to get filled. This principle is evident in quantum physics through Julian Schwinger's Schwinger effect, and it can also be observed in social structures where power vacuums are filled by new leaders, ideologies, or groups. This blog post explores the parallels between these seemingly disparate phenomena.

The Schwinger Effect: Creating Something from Nothing

Julian Schwinger, a pioneering physicist, demonstrated how extremely strong electric fields can create particle-antiparticle pairs from a vacuum. This phenomenon, known as the Schwinger effect, reveals that even in what we consider "empty space", quantum fluctuations mean there are always virtual particles popping in and out of existence. Under the right conditions, these particles can become real, thus creating matter from what appears to be nothing^[1].

What is "Nothing"?

In the realm of quantum physics, "nothing" is not truly empty. Even in a perfect vacuum devoid of matter, quantum fields still exist. These fields are subject to fluctuations due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which means that particle-antiparticle pairs can momentarily appear and then annihilate each other. This activity creates a kind of "background noise" in the vacuum, making it teeming with potential energy and activity even though it appears to be empty.

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Societal Vacuums: The Rise of New Powers

In society, power vacuums occur when leadership or control is absent. Much like the quantum vacuum, these social vacuums do not remain empty for long. New leaders, groups, or ideologies emerge to fill the void. This can be seen in various historical contexts, such as the fall of empires, the collapse of governments, or the dissolution of organizations. Just as the Schwinger effect explains the emergence of particles in a vacuum, sociopolitical theories explain the rise of new powers in a leadership vacuum.

Comparing Physical and Social Vacuums

1. Quantum Fluctuations vs. Social Instability:

   • In quantum physics, fluctuations in the vacuum create opportunities for new particles to form.
   • In society, instability creates opportunities for new powers to rise.

2. External Forces:

   • The Schwinger effect requires a strong electric field to manifest.
   • In society, external pressures such as economic crises, wars, or social movements can catalyze the emergence of new leaders or ideologies.

3. Energy and Resources:

   • In physics, the energy from the electric field is converted into the mass of the new particles.
   • In society, resources and influence are often redirected to support new powers filling the vacuum.

Case Studies: Historical and Modern Examples

1. The Fall of the Roman Empire:

   • The decline of Roman authority led to the rise of various barbarian kingdoms and eventually the formation of medieval Europe^[2].

2. Post-Colonial Africa:

   • The end of colonial rule left a power vacuum that was filled by new national leaders, often leading to political instability and conflict^[3].

3. Corporate Leadership Changes:

   • When a CEO steps down, the ensuing vacuum is quickly filled by another leader, often resulting in shifts in company strategy and culture.

4. The Middle East:

   • The power vacuums left by the decline of centralized authority in countries like Iraq and Syria have been filled by various factions, leading to prolonged conflict and instability^[4][5][6].

Summa summarum...

The concept of vacuums being filled is a universal principle that spans both the physical and social realms. Julian Schwinger's Schwinger effect illustrates how quantum vacuums can give rise to new particles, while history shows us how social vacuums lead to the rise of new powers. Understanding these parallels can provide deeper insights into both the natural world and human society.

Concerning societal vacuums, I often like to assert to people, especially those who think anarchy – that is no government, no rules – should be the way to strive for, that there cannot ever be that kind of true anarchy.

Having no government and no rules will create a power vacuum that will eventually be filled by the strongest competitor. Quite often, this one will not be to the liking of the anarchists, nor anyone else for that matter. That's why whenever creating a new system or a country, we need to come together to set up a government and a basic set of rules together – so that we have both a ruleset and someone to governs and uphold those rules to make life fair for everyone, lest we end up with someone else making up some other rules.

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(Friendly reminder to myself: Next time I write up something like this, I will need to add some images. And a disclaimer: This time, I didn't have any suitable photos, as I've never taken photos of particles or politics.)

Cheers!

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1. Big Think: 70-year-old quantum prediction comes true, as something is created from nothing (orig.: How the Universe Really Makes Something from Nothing) ↩

2. Wikipedia: Power vacuum, Historical examples ↩

3. Vicious Cycles: How Disruptive States And Extremist Movements Fill Power Vacuums ↩

4. The Middle East Power Vacuum ↩

5. Small Wars Journal: Iraq’s Power Vacuum ↩

6. UN Geneva: Terrorist groups exploiting power vacuums ↩