Originally proposed in 1993 as a part of a work titled "The Logic of Political Survival", co-written by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair Smith, Randolph M. Siverson, and James D. Morrow, published by MIT Press. It discusses the selectorate theory of politics. Their theory was refined into a 2011 publication titled "The Dictator's Handbook." The main thesis of the book is the implications of selectorate theory and how to improve world and national politics based on its principles.