Scott Alexander critiques the Reactionary concept of 'left singularity', arguing that reigns of terror typically follow repressive right-wing regimes rather than gradual leftward shifts in democracies. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques the Reactionary concept of 'left singularity', which posits that leftist movements become increasingly extreme until they collapse. He argues this theory is flawed, using an analogy to forest fires to show how it misinterprets causation. Scott contends that reigns of terror typically follow repressive right-wing regimes, not gradual leftward shifts in democracies. He proposes an alternative model where repressive monarchies build up pressure leading to revolution, which may be hijacked by extremists. Scott argues that moderate leftist democracies are stable and less prone to violent upheaval than far-right regimes, challenging core Reactionary claims. Shorter summary