Authority Timing as a Structural Axis of Failure A Negative Architectural Result

This work identifies a missing structural axis in how failure is analysed across domains: the timing and resolution of authority between deliberation and irreversible commitment. It shows that when systems allow internal processes to retain influence after execution authority is live, downstream controls cannot reliably guarantee prevention of irreversible harm. The result is architectural, not algorithmic, and applies independently of reasoning quality, optimisation, or intent. By making authority timing explicit and inspectable, the paper establishes a boundary beyond which post-hoc correction and monitoring are structurally insufficient.