Plain English Guides

Understanding IRSA Research

Academic papers can be dense. These guides explain our research in plain English— no jargon, no equations, just the core ideas that matter.

60-second summaries
Written for everyone
Links to full papers

Canonical Reading Order

The research builds systematically. Start with Regenerative Capital Theory for the foundational ontology (what is the fourth capital class?), then Perpetual Social Capital for the mathematical engine (R, SVM, IRR). Regenerative Cycle Architecture provides the meta-theory, followed by Alignment Capital for the formal operators. The remaining guides apply these ideas to specific domains, culminating in Regenerative Architecture Thinking as the synthesis.

1. RCT Ontology
2. PSC Math
3. RCA Architecture
4. AC Operators
5. PE Power
6. Climate Application
7. Markets Application
8. RAT Synthesis
7 min

Regenerative Capital Theory

1. The Fourth Capital Class

For 400 years we've had debt, equity, and grants. Regenerative Capital is the fourth—money that strengthens systems instead of extracting from them. Start here for the foundational ontology.

Key question:

"Why do all existing capital types either extract value or terminate?"

Read guide
8 min

Perpetual Social Capital

2. The Mathematical Engine

Gifts that help more than once. The mathematical framework behind R (recycling rate), SVM (System Value Multiplier), IRR, and TSV. This is where the numbers come from.

Key question:

"What if your donation could help five families instead of one?"

Read guide
9 min

Regenerative Cycle Architecture

3. The Meta-Theory

The unifying framework explaining how capital must be structured to persist forever. Introduces cycle decoupling (Δ) and alignment (Λ), fragility cycles, and mission cycles.

Key question:

"Why do institutions built to last forever fail within decades?"

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7 min

Alignment Capital

4. Formal Operators

The formal theory of Δ (Decoupling Operator) and Λ (Alignment Operator). How to mathematically insulate capital from fragility and synchronise it with mission cycles.

Key question:

"Why do long-term projects keep getting cancelled?"

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6 min

Political Economy

5. Power & Incentives

Money is power. How you give money determines who holds power. PSC redistributes power from gatekeepers to mission-holders and reshapes institutional incentives.

Key question:

"Why do charities spend 40% of their time fundraising instead of doing their mission?"

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6 min

Climate Economics

6. Application: Political Fragility

Climate adaptation fails not from lack of money, but from political fragility. PSC-G provides capital that persists across elections and crises. Application of RCA to climate governance.

Key question:

"Why does climate infrastructure get defunded every time governments change?"

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7 min

Capital Markets

7. Application: Financial Cycles

Quarterly earnings crush long-term thinking. Regenerative Capital Markets redesign market structures to enable decade-scale value creation. Application of RCA to financial markets.

Key question:

"Why do CEOs cut R&D to hit quarterly numbers?"

Read guide
10 min

Regenerative Architecture Thinking

8. Synthesis & Cognition

The synthesis paper bringing it all together. How regenerative principles apply to cognition, learning, and the Re:School educational framework. The capstone of the research program.

Key question:

"How do we teach people to think regeneratively?"

Read guide

Want the full academic treatment? All papers are available on SSRN.

View Working Papers