Post-Imperialism

Sf writers project the past and present into the future. How many American future history series have interstellar empires? (I am not about to list them all again.) James Blish has the President of the Milky Way announcing federation with the Magellanic Clouds in 3480. See Chronology Of The Beep.

However, in Poul Anderson's "The Chapter Ends," when Jorun flies above the ruins of:

"Sol City, capital of the legendary First Empire..." (p. 209)

- he reflects that:

"...its empty walls and blind windows, crumbling arches and toppled pillars held a ghost of beauty and magnificence which was like a half-remembered dream. A dream the whole race had once had.
"And now we're waking up." (ibid.)

We need to wake up.