The recent article “Economic Entropy” on the Consciousness of Sheep website provides strong support for the view that localism is not simply a social preference but an inevitable response to the growing difficulty of maintaining large-scale infrastructure.

The article argues that all complex systems are subject to entropy. In simple terms, things wear out. Bridges crack, roads deteriorate, power stations age, water systems leak, and public buildings become unsafe. When societies are wealthy and energy is abundant, these assets can be repaired or replaced. However, as economic growth slows and resources become increasingly constrained, maintenance becomes harder and more expensive.

This is highly significant because modern economies depend upon vast networks of infrastructure that were largely built during periods of abundant energy and rapid economic growth. The author points to deteriorating bridges, ageing power stations and underfunded public assets across Britain as examples of a system struggling to maintain itself. Around 3,000 UK bridges are now considered unsuitable for heavy traffic, while many electricity generating stations are approaching the end of their operational lives.

For localists, this should come as no surprise.

Localism begins with the recognition that large systems are expensive to build, expensive to maintain and increasingly vulnerable to disruption. Every additional mile of road, railway, electricity cable, water main or communication network adds another future maintenance liability.

A locality-based economy works differently. It seeks to reduce dependence on distant systems by shortening supply chains and bringing essential activities closer to where people live. Food production, repair services, care of older people, small-scale energy generation and local enterprise all reduce the need for extensive infrastructure.

The entropy argument therefore strengthens the localist case. If maintaining national systems becomes progressively more difficult, then communities which can provide a greater proportion of their own needs locally will be more resilient. They will require fewer long-distance transport movements, less complex distribution networks and less reliance upon infrastructure that may become increasingly unreliable.

This does not mean that national infrastructure disappears. Railways, hospitals, telecommunications and some energy systems will continue to require national organisation. However, the balance is likely to shift. As the cost of maintaining large systems rises, the economic advantage increasingly moves towards local provision wherever practical.

The article also highlights another important point. Infrastructure decline is usually gradual. Bridges are weight restricted before they are closed. Roads receive temporary repairs. Power stations have their lives extended. Water systems limp on despite increasing leaks. The process is one of slow deterioration rather than sudden collapse.

This mirrors the localist view that society is not heading towards a dramatic breakdown but towards a long period of adaptation. As national systems become more expensive and less reliable, people will increasingly seek solutions closer to home.

In this sense, economic entropy is not merely a problem. It is also a driver of change. It encourages the re-emergence of local economies, local skills and local self-reliance.

The future may not be characterised by the construction of ever larger and more complex systems. Instead, it may involve rebuilding economic life around the locality, where infrastructure is simpler, maintenance is easier and communities are less dependent on distant networks whose upkeep can no longer be taken for granted.

The second law of thermodynamics may not have created localism, but it may prove to be one of the strongest forces pushing society in that direction.