Lanfear expressed surprise when she confronted Alivia, because she was stronger than Lanfear before she was taken by the 'Finns. I highly doubt there is such a thing as a maximum potential, not in the abstract. Not any more than there is a strongest man in the world. It is a title that can only be claimed until it is toppled by another.

I also tend to disagree with you about your assertions as to the social makeup of the land of Madmen. From what we do know (ie the Sea Folk chronicles outlined in the BWB), foreigners were just as likely to encounter a male channeler as female. The implications of this very fact is important, because 3000 years with unfettered tainted men should have wiped humanity off the whole continent.

The fact that it didn't is at the very least intriguing, since it is counter-intuitive. It implicates some level of social compromise. Perhaps they have formed into tribal societies. Perhaps there is a caste system, and the Sea Folk have only had contact with the lowest caste. Who knows? The important thing is, there are enough people inhabiting the place to deter the Sea Folk more or less completely. The numbers don't add up, even taking into account the apparent lack of societal development.

My supposition was that in order for society to continue without being extinguished entirely in a world with tainted saidin, the men would either have to be destroyed, as they are in every other society, or they would have to be controlled, however unsuccessfully. This latter case is what I believe has happened in the Land of Madmen. And the only ones who would be able to do this would be female channelers.