Institutions become committed to preserving the problem they were formed to solve

In order to perpetuate its institutional existence, an organization formed to solve a problem eventually (and unwittingly) becomes committed to the preservation of the problem—if the problem goes away, so does the organization.

…an organization that commits to helping society manage a problem also commits itself to the preservation of that same problem, as its institutional existence hinges on society’s continued need for its management.^[1]

#institutions #scarcity

See also:

• Prime directive of institutions is self-preservation
• It is difficult to make someone understand what their salary depends on them not understanding