The internal order cycle follows a predictable 6-stage arc. For investors, stages 4–5 are the critical watch period: wealth gap widening precedes bad financial conditions by a lag of years to decades. Stage 5 (bad financial conditions + intense conflicts) is when asset prices diverge sharply — financial assets deflate, hard assets and foreign holdings outperform. Stage 6 (civil war/revolution) typically produces near-total loss for domestic financial asset holders. The US shows signs of stage 4–5 transition (widening wealth gaps, intense internal political conflict, deteriorating financial conditions).