I am looking more closely at the terminology used by Chunderban Desai when conversing with Dominic Flandry. Desai says that the Terran Empire is in its anarchic phase or its "'...interregnum, or whatever you wish to call it.'" (p. 387) But why call it either of those? "Anarchy" means "no rule." "Interregnum" means "between kings." The Empire is neither without rule nor between kings.
Desai also says that:
"'...the Terran Empire is the universal state of Technic civilization...'" (ibid.)
Tomorrow, I will check whether any more links can be made between Toynbee and Desai.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
But "anarchy" can be apt word to use! The classic example, in this context, would be the chaotic period suffered by the Roman Empire from the assassination of Alexander Severus in 235 to the accession of Diocletian in 284. That half century was indeed an agonizing time for Rome, frequent military coups and usurpations, civil wars, barbarian and Persian invasions, a near total collapse of the economy, and just about anything else bad you can think of!
The anxiety, even desperation felt by Desai was due to his fear that the Terran Empire might go thru a similarly chaotic era. His strongest desire was for Emperor Hans was to keep a strong grip on the throne and come down HARD on any further attempts at usurpation. His hope was that after about eighty years the Empire might regain a scarred kind of unity.
I think John Hord distilled the best insights to be gained from Toynbee in his own work. The universal state of Technic Civilization, the Empire, arose because men like Manuel Argos found it the best means they could find to restore order and end the Time of Troubles. So I would suggest paying heed as well to Hord's work.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Hord, sure. But, googling "universal state," I found Toynbee so I am currently checking him.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Of course! I did think Hord understood "universal state" somewhat differently from Toynbee's view. Also, Anderson seems to have thought Hord's argument more accurate. I have in mind Anderson's discussion of Hord's work in the Fall 1979 issue of the BULLETIN OF THE SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS OF AMERICA, in his article "Concerning Future histories," esp. pages 10 and 11.
Ad astra! Sean
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