Hearty agreement.

Even with the loss of monetary monopoly, and most likely before said loss, two powers remain. A monopoly on violence and the obedient. There's a lot of overlap. I'm sure there is a vin diagram somewhere.

People that hope to be free need to whittle away at these two remaining posts.

I suspect that rulers and obedient will retreat to city states, but that would be a clear sign of the end for the ruling class.

I believe this will follow a familiar pattern of slowly, them very fast. And it could happen shortly.