hdgreene: In such an emergent system having more than two children would be considered suspect. You could argue the third was an accident. But the fourth would constitute a kind of rebellion, since the promotion of your brood will leave fewer choice positions for the “child” of others. This “gang of siblings” could become bandits grabbing control of bureaucratic turf. As a matter of “noble” self defense they would be held back.

Which is an exact description of the “Zero Sum Game” that European socialists—and communists in general—are so fond of bashing America with. Perish the thought that someone actually creates any wealth rather than just continuing to divide up a fixed pie of taxes and already existing resources. That sort of intellect-straining, heavy lifting is left to us brutish, greedy and imperialistic Americans—all the better so that we can then be trashed for our over consumption of resources—even as we bring the world cars, computers and the Internet.

The nobles would be highly suspicious of freewheeling capitalism since it provides an independent route to status and prestige. Besides, who knows where those free wheels are going to go a-wheeling?

Precisely! Such untrammeled creation of wealth might lead to [gasp!] UPWARD MOBILITY!

Recognize that the system is exploitive of future generations and cut the commoner parents into the deal.

If by “exploitive” you actually mean “parasitic”, I couldn’t agree with you more. Nice description of Social Security, by the way.