That's a good point but didn't the Trolloc Wars last for more than a century? Shouldn't this have been enough time for the AS to recognize that their rigid and nonsensical hierachy is, to put it mildly, very inefficient? Freaking Seanchan with all their prostrating on the ground before nobles can and do promote common folk to the Blood but the AS view with disdain any of their own that are not strong in the power. It's all so very irrational, it's not as if those who are not strong can do much (if anything) to increase the strength with which they are born.

Sure, not fighting for survival does tend to instill complacency among rulers but the stupid things AS have done really stretch suspension of disbelif. Off the top of my head:

- until recently they didn't know the many Wise Ones could channel. Weren't they at least midly curious what happens to channelers in the Waste? Ditto for the Windfinders.

- refused to accept even the possibility of the existence of the BA when they had an extremely convenient way to check things out all along.

- don't commit nearly enough forces to protect the Borderlands, despite being the self-proclaimed champios of Light and protectors of humanity.

- obeyed Elaida for so long despite being painfully obvious she was a raving lunatic. They toppled Siuan for far less, what was stopping them now?


Too much of "but the plot wouldn't work if the AS aren't very stupid", IMO.