The Mechanics of Democratic Dominance: A System Dynamics Paradigm for Dynamic Consent Engineering
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Traditional frameworks of political communication operate under linear, event-driven assumptions that treat voter persuasion as a static, transactional function. This paper introduces Dynamic Consent Engineering (DCE), a novel interdisciplinary paradigm that synthesizes Edward Bernays' foundational principles of public relations with the S-E-E-D (Snowball, Equilibrium, Elasticity, Dominance) framework of system dynamics. By expanding Bernaysian operational constraints into a four-dimensional resource matrix (incorporating algorithmic media infrastructure alongside manpower, mindpower, and capital), we mathematically formalize how democratic institutions construct, optimize, and sustain political dominance. We map Bernays' classic eight-step engineering workflow directly onto non-linear feedback loops, information time lags, and demographic carrying capacities. Through rigorous modeling of systemic feedback structures, we isolate the dynamic root causes of political elasticity, policy resistance plateaus, and threshold-triggered trust collapses. Finally, we establish a four-step diagnostic pipeline and validate the framework via historical reference mode verification, demonstrating that long-term political stability depends not on ephemeral rhetoric, but on the structural synchronization of policy execution and dynamic feedback calibration.
Source: SSRN Electronic Journal
DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.7358180
Author: Muhammad Sukri Bin Ramli
Language: English
Topic: Media Influence and Politics
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204455570