The helium-3 extraction works on the Moon are a Federation government monopoly because of the importance of helium-3 to fusion power. Selenarch Brandir thinks that, if the Lunarians expropriate the extraction works, they can continue to export to Earth and that the Federation will prefer negotiated trade to war. However, the Federation government, already troubled by the Dieback, Avantism and the high-tech-low-tech gap, would not survive politically if it did not resist expropriation. Download Dagny advises Brandir to consider swapping Lunarian ships and robots in the asteroid belt for the helium plants. She works tirelessly to prevent destructive conflict.
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
We see a very realistic depiction of possible conflicts here by Poul Anderson!
Ad astra! Sean
Power is a zero-sum game by its nature: this cannot be changed. There will always be politics, and violence will always be the -ultimately- decisive means of political action, whether 30,000 years ago, today, or into the indefinite future.
That doesn’t mean that all conflicts will be violent; just that they will always be potentially violent.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Though not necessarily ‘world without end’, of course - just as long as there are human beings. And no, we cannot chose to be other than we are, unless you’re talking genetic engineering.
Note that power isn’t only a means to other ends, it is an end in itself.
This because we are disproportionately descended from those that sought power with fanatical persistence. - or became the flunkies of those that did.
10% of Asia is descended from Genghis Khan, and a fair percentage from his generals and Noyons… and evolution doesn’t stop at the neck.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Again, you make points I wish I had! Yes, politics is simply how the public business of a society or nation is carried out. And I agree force and violence will always be at least potentially the final means of settling disputes, if more peaceful methods fail.
Ditto, what you said about how many of us descend from successful power seekers, and their stooges and hencemen!
Ad astra! Sean
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