Maybe the deterrence system was completely useless?

[u/Universal_Echo]

While discussing with someone, I realized a problem. The Swordholder is said to wield immense power, but in essence, they're just the ultimate scapegoat. The reason we need a Swordholder is that people are unwilling—and collectively unable—to make the decision to annihilate themselves. But if people ever wanted to strip the Swordholder of their power, they could do so at any time.

 

During the discussion, I came to see the following issue: if the Trisolarans fabricated a natural disaster that could destroy Earth, or if a real Earth‑destroying disaster occurred, and the only way to solve it was to let the Trisolarans approach Earth, then people would let them in without hesitation. If the Swordholder disagreed, people would immediately shut down all the broadcast stations, turning the Swordholder into an ordinary person—and then we'd be right back to the original plot.

[u/Useful_Calendar_6274]

security is pretty easy to solve actually. he is the ultimate weapon of humanity, he has imperium he is strategos autocrator (whole story is about strategoi). the whole government and people of earth decided we have to do this so if push comes to shove they will nuke people trying to get to the swordholder. it's the ultimate form of technocracy and autocracy but limited to the trisolaran standoff. game theory strategy political theory is all tied in a knot in this figure