Dwarf Fortress creator says we can learn something from simply walling up dwarf nobles to maintain an equal society—but notes you have to abolish the dwarf cops, too: 'Another lesson to be had there'

Dwarf Fortress creator Tarn Adams has suggested that learning about maintaining an equal society can be gleaned from simply walling up the noble dwarves. While the complex fantasy simulation of Dwarf Fortress presents various dangers to dwarven well-being, the real threat often comes from within: the nobility. As a fortress grows, dwarven nobles tend to overstep their boundaries, meddling in industries they lack the qualifications to direct and imposing unnecessary demands on the rest of society.

Adams believes that one way to manage the menace of nobility is to wall them off in an undesirable corner, allowing the rest of the dwarven population to live and work according to their own needs, preferences, urgencies, and capacities.

Although dwarven players can strive for an egalitarian utopia, the game does not currently allow for the exploration of dwarven political ideologies. However, Adams has mentioned plans to incorporate civilizational law codes and even some philosophical elements in the future. He mentioned that for him, reading law codes from various civilizations, such as the Tang Dynasty and the Romans, has been helpful in conceptualizing how a simulated law code could function.

For Adams, a simulation of a law code would resemble a series of conditional statements in computer logic, with a final "else" statement. He also noted that dwarven barristers might argue cases, but unexpected events, like a dog biting someone or goblins entering the room, could complicate the process.

Adams believes that walled nobles could serve as a model for addressing the influence of powerful individuals in our own lives. He mentioned that the influence of a mountain hall's noble class can be contained by literally walling them off, but warned that as long as there is an armed entity, such as a fortress guard, enforcing their demands, their influence will persist.

To eliminate their influence completely, one must remove the armed enforcers as well. Adams concluded that while walled nobles might seem like a simple solution, the complexities of managing a dwarven society remain.