Stephenson:Neal:Quicksilver:552:master-stroke (Jeremy Bornstein)

From the Quicksilver Metaweb.

This is similar to the system of Tokugawa-era Japan (1600's or so) in which daimyos (clan leaders) were forced to live alternate years in the capital city, and alternate years in their own territories. At any given time, only half the daimyos were in their home territories. This had the effect of making rebellion more difficult not only because coordination became more difficult, but because of the increased expense of maintaining two residences.