This paper establishes a structural asymmetry principle in finite systems. Under minimal assumptions (bounded gain, persistent cost, absence of sustained external input, and non-free optimization), we show that long-run expected cost exceeds expected gain, inducing negative structural drift (Φ < 0). This implies that collapse is inevitable regardless of locally optimal strategies. The result shifts the analytical focus from optimization to viability as the governing constraint of finite systems. This regime corresponds to what we refer to as “negative expected value” (EV Âm) in prior work.
Ho Minh (Tue,) studied this question.