A multipolar trap is a dynamic structure in which multiple forces, objectives, or interests interact, creating a self-reinforcing and reinforcing balance of power that is often difficult to escape. The result is an increasingly complex situation, with the various participants locked in an ongoing competition – each attempting to increase their relative power – while none can gain a decisive advantage. In such a trapped environment, long-term paths of progress prove elusive, and the situation often degenerates into further divisiveness or stagnation.

See also: agent-based modeling, attractor, emergence, evolution, free will