-Sandra Miesel, CHRONOLOGY OF TECHNIC CIVILIZATION IN Poul Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (Riverdale, NY, 2011), pp. 663-672 AT p. 666.
Avalon began as a human colony joined by some Ythrians who remain a minority. Ythri does not rule Avalon. The planet is "'...under the suzerainty, the protection of...Ythri...'" (III, p. 476)
"'Ythrian practice is not Terran... The worlds of the Domain are tied to each other principally by vows of mutual fidelity. That our fellows are no longer able to help us does not give them the right to order that we cease defending ourselves. If anything, deathpride requires that we continue the fight for what help it may afford them.'" (XIII, p. 582)
When there are Terran-Ythrian border clashes, the Ythrians have no strong authority or central government to control their impulsive individuals or small groups. See Reasons For War. My suggestion is that, in the case of Avalon at least, the Khruaths should accept that they are not equipped to handle dealings with Terrans, therefore that foreign policy should be the sole responsibility of the Parliament of Man, especially since Avalon is essentially a human colony. If this policy were to be implemented and then worked, then the rest of the Domain might accept that they also should at least take advice from the Avalonian Parliament. Individualistic Ythrians can be persuaded that they should act in the best interests of their choths when their Wyvans have made well-advised judgments. The principle would have to be extended to dealings with other species. The Ythrians have absorbed Dathyna and either they or the Terrans will gain the Antoranite-Kraokan complex around Beta Centauri.
However, history progresses. Later, we are told that governmental institutions atrophy even for human Avalonians.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Interesting, your basic idea being that the foreign affairs of the Domain should be entrusted to the Avalonian Parliament of Man, at least to the extent of taking its advice. It might work in those parts of the Domain bordering the Empire, where it should be plain even to the most aggressively individualistic Ythrians that using force to settle disputes with Imperial citizens or private entities was not going to work. But I have my doubts such an arrangement would work in regions NOT bordering the Empire.
Some thought should be given as well to the Covenant of Alfzar, mentioned in Chapter 14 of ENSIGN FLANDRY, in which it was stated that Merseia "..confirmed her acceptance of the rules of war and diplomacy which evolved on Terra. They evolved, and you took them over, for the excellent reason that they work." I interpreted that as being the laws and customs of war and diplomacy codified long before in the Geneva and Vienna conventions. It's possible that, as a result of the war with the Empire, the Domain thought it wise to either accede to or request becoming a co-signatory to the Covenant.*
Ad astra! Sean
*I think it was likely the Empire, Betelgeuse, and Merseia were already carrying out the negotiations leading to the Covenant of Alfzar at the time of the war between the Empire and the Domain. The civilized way the Terrans waged the war strengthens that impression.
The State is "that body which claims a monopoly of violence" both internal and external.
Ythrians have never really come up with that form of social organization.
State-level societies have extreme problems with less advanced forms, and also with those that haven't progressed to the concept of precisely delineated territorial boundaries.
Two amorphous clan leagues can tolerate individual and small-group raiding. Try that with a nation-state or empire and it's likely to quickly make you acquainted with the concept of collective responsibility -- you can have peace or war but you can't pick and choose.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, and that was exactly what we see happening in THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND, as the Ythrians found out to their cost. So I can see the Domain accepting that it would have to agree to placing and enforcing limits on what individual Ythrians and choths could do vis a vis the Empire.
Happy New Year! Sean
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