-SM Stirling, Under the Yoke (New York, 1989), p. 115.
A static society should stagnate and be defeated by a dynamic one. The 1984 regimes do not have a dynamic opponent so they will surely stagnate quicker or collapse as soon as an energy source runs out. The Draka counteract their disadvantage by alertness and long term planning:
"Living on the edge, being conscious of having no margin for error, at least made you less likely to fall into complacency." (pp. 115-116)
The Americans are technologically ahead in:
nuclear physics;
quantum mechanics;
rare alloys;
ultra-precision engineering;
electronics -
- where the Draka are weak but the US might be persuaded to sell "'...their technology for profit.'" (p. 116) No, blockade the Draka!
There is a nuclear standoff but why not smuggle a nuke into Archona before the Draka pull the same stunt the other way? Better still, assassinate all the snake brass simultaneously:
"' - leadership's a scarce resource fo' us, so we make better use of it.'" (p. 116)
"'System as centralized as ours is more vulnerable to atomics than theirs.'" (p. 115)
The Draka plan to maintain military tension in order to force the Alliance for Democracy to tax, regulate, step up security and secretiveness, waste resources - all the areas where the Draka are more effective. The Americans must maintain general standards of living whereas the Draka aim to keep their serfs impoverished!
A very unpleasant war but the democracies must fight to win and the serious danger is that they will not.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
A few quick comments before going to work.
First, the Draka would soon become more advanced than the Alliance in at least one part of the sciences: genetics and biology. You may have seen early hints of that in UNDER THE YOKE.
Second: much as I dislike the Draka, you can't truly say they keep their serfs "impoverished" in a strictly material way. For those serfs who accept the Yoke are taken care of by the Draka in having plenty to eat, wear, and adequate medical care. Also, intelligent serfs may even "rise" in the limited ways the Draka will allow. Such as becoming non commissioned officers in the Janissaries or clerks in the bureaucracy, etc.
And, I agree, the wise thing for the Alliance to do would be to refuse absolutely to have any trade or commerce with the Draka. That would at least slow down and hinder them.
Sean
Sean,
Not absolute but relative or comparative poverty. Serfs cannot become consumers and voters with rising standards of living:
"At least we don't have to try an' compete in general living standards; this isn't a popularity contest..." (p. 115)
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Granted, the serfs were still "impoverished" in a relative or comparatives sense.
Sean
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