"Theoretically it was a democratic assembly called to decide our next move. In practice Manuel Argos gave his orders."
-"The Star Plunderer," p. 354.
Argos is in a state transitional between leader and ruler.
He argues:
an empire is necessary for defence;
collecting tribute can make it pay;
this is one of those historical periods"'...when the enforced peace of Caesarism is the only solution.'" (p. 356);
Caesarism is better than the current devastation;
an empire in fact should be an empire in name;
people fight for symbols;
a hereditary aristocracy will be a valuable archaism;
a dynasty can last with good breeding stock, a hard school and gerontology;
as with the Romans, all worthy individuals of any race can become citizens.
When they return to Earth:
"...the thin winter wind [is] like a cleansing bath around [Reeves]..." (p. 361)
The wind is always with us.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Yes, some kind of State is necessary for the preservation of order and peace in a chaotic and dangerous world.
That necessarily implies the need to collect taxes/tribute for strong armed forces.
It's a historically observable fact that in times of chaos order was restored by strong men forcibly imposing peace. Often called "Caesarism."
I specifically discussed that "an empire in fact should be an empire in name" in one of my letters to Anderson, arguing it meant Manuel Argos planned to found a deliberately monarchical state. Doing so would avoid at least some of the possibly dangerous ambiguities of Augustus. Also, the Commonwealth had collapsed so utterly and ignominiously that Argos would face little of the entrenched antimonarchical prejudices Augustus had to contend with.
I agree, people do fight for symbols.
The chief value of an aristocracy is as a source of the leaders needed by an empire. And should be open to being regenerated thru new men rising to join it.
The genetic lottery of hereditary monarchy always comes with risks. Such risks can be avoided or moderated thru institutional/customary restraints on what a monarch can do.
Some dynasties can last for very long periods. The most striking example in Western history being the Capetians of France, reigning there in unbroken succession from 987 to 1792. And again from 1814/15 to 1848.
Argos comments about planning to confer Terran citizenship on worthy beings of any race is something I agree with. Reminiscent of how Rome was equally generous about conferring Roman citizenship.
Ad astra! Sean
Dominant personalities get things done.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
They can and do! Sometimes they are even reasonably decent men, like Cyrus the Great. Others are monsters, like Lenin.
Ad astra! Sean
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