1st Stage
Humanity domesticates animals; Draka domesticate humanity. Nasty but we understand it.
2nd Stage
Some Draka want to use genetics to lower the serfs' intelligence and remove their will. Expectable. It is probably what Wells' Martians or Niven's kzinti would have done to human beings that they did not eat whereas at least some of Anderson's Merseians would want willing subordinates.
3rd Stage
Senator Eric von Shrakenberg argues against that use of genetics on the ground that the Race dominates humanity precisely by imposing its will on humanity's will. Without that, there would no longer be any Racial pride. I think that this is a new refinement.
I suspect that von Shrakenberg's argument is dishonest. In fact, he recognizes the evil of the Domination and wants to place some limit on it. But, in any case, what a Hell on Earth! Stirling pursues the consequences of an alternative history perhaps further than any other writer?
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Commenting on your "3rd Stage." Exactly! Eric von Shrakenberg had to dress up his opposition to using genetics for emasculating non Draka human beings in terms his fellow Draka could understand and possibly accept. The Senator was trying to lessen the harm being done by the Draka to mankind.
Eric von Shrakenberg's long struggle to restrain the evil being done by the Draka has to be called a failure. Should he have even tried at all given how unlikely were the chances of him succeeding? Wouldn't it have been better for Eric to have defected to the Alliance a few years after the Eurasian War and openly declared his rejection of the Domination, the Draka, and all their beliefs and started doing his utmost to weaken and undermine them?
Sean
Sean,
Yes.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree! And we do see one Draka in THE STONE DOGS who had defected!
Sean
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