Or the global cost of decentralized abuses.  Which could be, and
     used to be, worse.  Name your abuse of choice: it's worse when it's
     being done everywhere to / by everyone.

   let's play a game: centralized power to redress cultural wrongs.

   assuming that Stephen is speaking of social concerns; a centralized
   action designed to redress cultural norms could be righteous, right?

   who can say "Brown v. Board of Education" was not the arc of history?

   these are the seductions of centralization - when they accomplish
   easily what is hard fought directly.

   to think that centralized power is only utilized for righteous ends is
   to succumb to the fallacy.

   no, decentralized malicious actions are not as bad as centralized ones.
   they are, by definition, limited. e.g. within the realm of direct
   intervention.

   best regards,