Kraachnach of the Sirruch Horde, representing the Martian Transport Company, describes Borthudian isolationism and empire-building and comments:
"'It is a pattern not unknown to Terrestrial history, I believe.'" (p. 151)
He believes correctly. However, Kraaknach, an extra-solar immigrant to Mars, is describing another extra-solar race. Thus, both his race and the one that he is describing can be expected to have extraterrestrial aspects to their histories.
On the other hand, Borthudian unification has been enabled and influenced by Technic civilization which originated on Earth:
"'[The Borthudians] were at an early industrial, nuclear-power stage when explorers visited them, and their reaction to the presence of a superior culture was paranoid. At least, it was in the largest nation, which shortly proceeded to conquer the rest. It had modernized technologically with extreme rapidity, aided by certain irresponsible elements of this civilization who helped it for high pay. United, the Borthudians set out to acquire an interstellar empire.'" (p. 150)
Two points:
compare the Borthudians with the Merseians when it comes to reactions to the presence of a superior culture;
this first van Rijn story begins to introduce the problems in the Polesotechnic League. See, further:
Something Is Rotten In Technic Culture?
Polesotechnic Problems
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
The mention of how irresponsible persons from Technic civilization helped the Kossaluth to modernize Borthu reminded me of "A Little Knowledge," where we see other irresponsible person attempting the same thing.
It was probably because Merseia was so far from the main centers pf Technic civilization that it was able to eventually unify under under an aggressively racialist regime, the Roidhunate. At the time of "Margin of Profit," it had not yet even gotten to the stage that the three cornered struggle for power between the Vachs, rival nations, and the Gethfennu broke out. That still lay in the future.
Sean
I remember the League "won" in "MoP" but I can't remember what happened to the Borthudians. Seems a paranoid, high-tech culture might be someone to watch for awhile. Likewise: the Shenna. The Ythrians took them over, but they don't seem like folks that would indefinitely "play well with others". Think: an interstellar North Korea.
-kh
Kaor, Keith!
True, I don't think Borthu is mentioned again in the Technic series. Which leads me to think Old Nick did succeed in turning Borthu from aggressive paths. If Borthu laid within the sphere of space claimed by the Empire, it became merely one of the many non-human worlds ruled by Terra.
Sean
Thanks, Sean. That seems implied. It just seems implausible to me that an aggressive, paranoid culture like the Borthudian Kossaluth (even one mentioned as being in a fragile power-situation) would just be a friendly and valued Imperial subject: "Make Kossaluth Great Again!" If I were Merseia, I'd look to find as many disgruntled Imperial races, worlds, factions as possible and aid them. ((I think PA talks about something like that re: Gorzun in "T G O E".)
I'd also do more of that nasty "sell barbarians ships and weapons" to harass the Empire (away from the Roidhunate) OTOH, that didn't work particularly well for the US in Afghanistan....
-kh
Kaor, Keith!
We do get a hint of your second alternative in Anderson's revised version of "Tiger By The Tail." Flandry unearthed hints that the Merseians had a role in helping the Frithians to modernize enough that they could could conquer and unify Scotha. What Merseia was hoping for by "apparently" doing this was to turn Scotha into a weapon against the Empire.
Sean
Thanks,Sean. Indeed... However, as mentioned before this can be a double edged sword- as it is said in the ancient texts: "Dance with the Devil- you gonna get burned...."
-kh
Kaor, Keith!
Or, in this case, the weapon Merseia hoped would be used against Terra BROKE, thanks to Flandry.
Sean
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