(urth) Autarchs

[Lee Berman]

>Andrew Mason: As I understand it, what properly distinguishes an autarch is that he
>rules himself: that is why Ymar and his successors chose that title.

I find it difficult to understand the semantic distinction between an autarch and a
despotic monarch like Typhon.  If anything, the autarch seems to rule him/herself 
less as he/she seems to be somewhat answerable to a powerful exultant class below them
and the dictates of cacogens above them (not to mention Father Inire, wherever he fits
in).
 
All I can think is that it is a wishful title for the future. An Autarch will eventually
be a self-ruler of the people because he/she will eventually house all the people of
the Commonwealth within his/her consciousness. (that's the goal, obviously it fell far
short of completion; as I see it, just another sham game piece in the cosmic manipulation
of Severian).