The Hock Principle

From Keep it Simple with the Hock Principle by Ryan McCostlin.   

Dee Hock is the founder and former CEO of Visa. He helped invent and lead the credit card system that eventually became VISA international.

After 16 years at Visa, Dee Hock retired in 1984 to work a 200-acre farm west of Silicon Valley. But in those 16 years, he built Visa to be uncentralized.

One of his maxims became known as The Hock Principle:

Simple, clear purpose and principles give rise to complex and intelligent behavior. Complex rules and regulations give rise to simple and stupid behavior.