Orders, Names, Sovereignty

I don't think networking provides the best criterion for locating the center--even keeping in mind that a revolution upsets the center, and may generate several possible centers. Washington was commander-in-chief of the revolutionary army, and as soon as the constitution was established (following a very decentering period) was virtually unanimously elected President. You can't get much more central than that in a liberal system--in fact, I don't think anyone ever has.