Friday 3 April 2020

Moon Bases In Two Future Histories

In Robert Heinlein's "The Long Watch," there is a UN Moon Base. In Poul Anderson's "Un-Man," there are UN Moon bases.

"'The Inspectorate is supposed to tell the U.N. Moon bases where to plant their rocket bombs; the Service tries to make bombardment unnecessary by forestalling hostile action.'" (VII, p. 52)

The Patrol does the same job in the Future History. "The Long Watch" is about a hero of the Patrol who dies to prevent a coup.

Which makes more sense? To disarm all nuclear weapons or to monopolize them, then to bombard any country that threatens global peace?

Sorry. When I copy and paste, the font size leads a life of its own.

"If This Goes On -" refers back to a World War III, an important event not mentioned in the Time Chart, but also refers to the Federation, the UN-derived planetary government dating from the first interplanetary period which prevents wars by monopolizing nuclear weapons. When the Angels are overthrown, Heinlein conveys revolutionary turmoil: argument in the constitutional convention; the Onward Christian Soldiers' resentment of the timing of the Cabal's insurrection. The Prophets had seceded from the Federation. The latter does not immediately recognize the new regime and will not authorize nuclear weapons to end a civil war. Thus, in a few background-establishing sentences, Heinlein contextualizes the Second American Revolution. The UN had established the Patrol and become the Federation which will oppress the Families (see below) but will, according to the Time Chart, be succeeded by a mature culture.
-copied from here.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Like it or not, nuclear weapons are not going to be "disinvented" or stuffed back into the genie bottle. No, if we are going to postulate some kind of world gov't with teeth, then that regime will HAVE to have a monopoly on nukes. We see Poul Anderson doing that with the Swedish dominated World Peace Authority in TAU ZERO. And, of course, the Solar Commonwealth and its successor the Empire must have held similar monopolies in the Technic timeline.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

But should the world government threaten to nuke anyone?

Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Yes, if the alternative is even worse. Also, it would have to show itself able and willing to put down rebellion.

Ad astra! Sean