I would like to continue but it is getting late and the next story, "In The Shadow," demands full attention to a whole new political and scientific context. The Gearch Huang III suppresses an insurrection and cynically makes just enough reforms to reduce disaffection. The son of a man killed leading the insurrection is not penalized but given a good education and, later, sent on a long space mission. He should be grateful and, in any case, "...out of the way for a while." (p. 91) As in other works by Anderson, politics meets physics. See A Master Of Physics And Politics, here.
However, at this time of night, I relax by rereading Stieg Larsson, hopefully not finding anything to post about. We will return into the shadow tomorrow.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteConsidering how often our real world politicians show themselves to be bungling incompetents as leaders, I only wish more of them were like Huang III, if he was wily the benefits of showing mercy and making some reforms.
Sean
Drat, I wanted to write "...Huang III, if he was ENOUGH wily to UNDERSTAND the benefits...", etc.
ReplyDeleteSean
A lot of politics depends on the time-horizons of the people in charge. If you have an electoral cycle, politicians will seldom look more than one or two elections in the future.
ReplyDeleteThey -can't- not focus on that; if they don't, they'll be out and won't be able to do anything.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
ReplyDeleteActually, I agree with you. But this focus by so many politicians on only one or two electoral cycles comes with costs and dangers. I far prefer Winston Churchill, who was willing to take his chances on becoming permanently irrelevant in the UK in the decade before WW II when he argued Nazi Germany was a real threat, while so many other politicians were trying to appease Hitler instead.
Sean
Both,
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is possible to do things while out of office: writing, campaigning, lobbying, organizing etc.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteAnd Churchill probably did some of these things himself, esp. writing and behind the scenes lobbying.
Sean