Coercion and force may be important and even indispensable, but that does not mean they are more important than anything else. A political order which may not hold together without force may also collapse if numerous other factors are not present – for instance, if subjects cease to be patriotic, if they become less prudent, if they become literate, if they act together , if they sober up. Even tyrannical regimes require something more than force to remain in place; they cannot maintain themselves only with force.