Structural Constraint Theory and the Limits of Long-Horizon Self-Correction

Suggested Description (paste into Zenodo): Preprint (not peer reviewed).This preprint is submitted to Systems Research and Behavioral Science (SRBS) and is currently under double-anonymous review. Abstract.Long-horizon systems frequently fail to align intended futures with realized outcomes, even as foresight and governance tools improve. This paper introduces Structural Constraint Theory (SCT), which conceptualizes structural constraints as non-volitional conditions shaping long-term system viability. SCT treats self-correction as depending on five recurrent processes—error detection, error naming, impact feedback, cost assessment, and meta-correction—whose combined fidelity constrains long-run outcomes in a non-compensatory (weak-link) manner. Rather than reducing failure to any single factor (e.g., intention, resources, or institutional design), the framework attributes it to Information-Correction Fidelity: the system’s capacity to detect, interpret, and respond to structural misalignments over long horizons. Through theoretical probes and illustrative cases, the paper shows how erosion of correction fidelity biases long-term outcome probabilities and limits anticipatory capacity, while some systems sustain viability by anchoring action to structural feedback. Files. PDF is the reading version; Markdown is provided as the editable source. Supporting Information is included as separate files. AI-use disclosure. AI tools were used for iterative outlining and clarity checks; all substantive scholarly decisions, claims, and references were made by the author, who takes full responsibility for the content.