The absurd social stratification in the starship Pioneer (see here) becomes evident when Friday is demoted to crewman:
he is separated from his parents;
he is given "...two changes of clothing and a couple of dollars to last till payday..." (Cold Victory, p. 36);
the police are now able to kick him around although he retains "...the manners they were trained to salute..." (p. 37) so they are confused;
crewmen dislike officers and take out their resentment on any who are demoted;
Friday can complain to the police if he is beaten up but is advised not to because then he would never be accepted and might even be murdered;
he was taught self-defense because fitness is part of the Astro code;
Astrogation is the smallest faction but at present holds the balance of power (!);
Astrogation is above Engineering which is above Administration and both are divided into ranks;
the police cannot prevent brawling but must intervene if there is a riot!
The ship has only been in flight for eighty years. Friday, twenty four years old, was born on board but the departure from Earth was only a long lifetime ago. Society within the ship cannot possibly have degenerated to this extent in so short a time. Psychotechnicians were in control on Earth back then. What did they plan for the social dynamics within the ship?
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