The Fine-Structure Constant as a Historical Stability Threshold

This working paper examines the status of the fine-structure constant within the framework of the Historical Attractor Theory (HAT). The aim is to clarify whether the value of the electromagnetic coupling can be considered arbitrary, or whether it is constrained by more fundamental structural requirements. The analysis focuses on historical persistence, finite resolution, and global closure as necessary conditions for the existence of stable charged structures. Rather than providing a numerical derivation, the paper establishes that only a restricted domain of values for the fine-structure constant is compatible with a historically stable physical reality. This work is intended as a focused application of HAT to a single fundamental constant, and forms part of a broader program exploring the structural origin of physical constants without modifying the underlying theoretical framework.