Simulation Systems Architecture

This document explains why Babylon’s simulation engine uses modular systems and how they work together to produce emergent class struggle dynamics.

The Modular System Design

Each simulation tick, the engine runs a sequence of Systems that transform the world state. This design choice enables:

Testability - Each system can be unit tested in isolation
Composability - Systems can be added, removed, or reordered
Clarity - Each system has a single responsibility

        flowchart TB
    A["WorldState (tick N)"] --> B["1. ImperialRentSystem<br/>Extract tribute"]
    B --> C["2. SolidaritySystem<br/>Transmit consciousness"]
    C --> D["3. ConsciousnessSystem<br/>Drift ideology"]
    D --> E["4. SurvivalSystem<br/>Calculate probabilities"]
    E --> F["5. StruggleSystem<br/>Agency responses"]
    F --> G["6. ContradictionSystem<br/>Accumulate tension"]
    G --> H["7. TerritorySystem<br/>Process heat/eviction"]
    H --> I["WorldState (tick N+1)"]

The System Protocol

All systems implement a common protocol that enforces separation of concerns:

class System(Protocol):
    def step(
        self,
        graph: nx.DiGraph[str],
        services: ServiceContainer,
        context: ContextType,  # Union[dict[str, Any], TickContext]
    ) -> None:
        """Mutate graph according to system logic."""
        ...

Why this contract?

Graph-only mutation: Systems transform the topology directly, ensuring all state changes are visible and traceable through the graph structure.
No inter-tick state: Systems are stateless between ticks, preventing hidden dependencies and making behavior deterministic.
Service injection: Shared services (EventBus, FormulaRegistry) are injected, enabling testing with mocks and runtime swapping.

System Execution Order

The order of systems is not arbitrary—it reflects causal dependencies in the simulation’s theoretical model:

1. ImperialRentSystem (Economic base): Material conditions must be established first. Wealth flows via EXPLOITATION edges determine everything that follows.
2. SolidaritySystem (Communication infrastructure): Consciousness can only spread where organizational infrastructure exists. This must happen before ideology drift.
3. ConsciousnessSystem (Superstructure response): Ideology changes in response to material conditions and solidarity. The George Jackson bifurcation determines revolution vs fascism.
4. SurvivalSystem (Agent calculus): With economic and ideological state updated, agents can calculate their survival probabilities under acquiescence vs revolution.
5. ContradictionSystem (Tension accumulation): Contradictions between classes accumulate based on the above factors, potentially triggering rupture events.
6. TerritorySystem (Spatial dynamics): State attention (heat) responds to activity, triggering eviction and displacement. This is the carceral geography layer.
7. StruggleSystem (Agency responses): Finally, agents respond to state actions. EXCESSIVE_FORCE can trigger UPRISING when organization is sufficient.

Why This Order Matters

Consider what happens if we ran systems in wrong order:

SolidaritySystem before ImperialRentSystem: Consciousness would spread based on stale wealth data from the previous tick.
ConsciousnessSystem before SolidaritySystem: Bifurcation would check for solidarity edges that haven’t been updated yet.
StruggleSystem before TerritorySystem: Agents would respond to repression that hasn’t been applied yet.

The system order encodes the Marxist base-superstructure relationship: material conditions (base) determine consciousness (superstructure), which then shapes political action.

The Seven Systems

Each system models a specific aspect of class dynamics:

ImperialRentSystem: Extracts wealth via EXPLOITATION edges. Implements the fundamental theorem: W_c > V_c implies imperial rent extraction.
SolidaritySystem: Transmits consciousness along SOLIDARITY edges and decays edge strengths over time (organization requires maintenance).
ConsciousnessSystem: Applies the George Jackson bifurcation model. Agitation routes to revolution (with solidarity) or fascism (without solidarity).
SurvivalSystem: Calculates P(S|A) and P(S|R) for each class. When P(S|R) > P(S|A), revolution becomes the rational survival strategy.
ContradictionSystem: Accumulates tension from class contradictions. When tension exceeds threshold, flags potential rupture events.
TerritorySystem: Manages territorial heat (state attention), eviction, displacement, and the detention-to-incarceration pipeline.
StruggleSystem: Handles agency responses to state action. EXCESSIVE_FORCE against organized classes can trigger UPRISING events.