I don’t think sov civs actually have a problem with rules or authority. I think they are deeply insecure in the fact that they don’t understand the rules so they make up new ones that they believe to be absolute and above all else.

They believe like dogma in this shit like the maritime flag with stripes and a court with that flag gets magically invalidated so they don’t have to follow any rulings. They get a feeling of control when they understand the rules even when the rules are imaginary.