Less convoluted. N. Korea, for example. Kim could give an order, and it is law. Sure, if it's something too stupid, the generals will stop him, but when it comes down to the details, the more vaguely written the law, the more powerful it becomes. Edge cases and specifics are created by the people below him in response to unforeseen issues.

A global entity with complete control wouldn't need to worry about details. Details are meant to patch holes. If a hole is country sized, it's because someone big is making them, and that requires something equally big to patch.

WW1 & WW2 were powder kegs waiting to go off. Neither side wanted to do it first. Eventually random chance did it for them. Right now I think the barrel is still being refilled.