In these passages, Poul Anderson speaks through his characters-
Evagail to Ridenour:
"'As for the Empire, can't it contain one more way of living? Won't mankind be the richer for that?'" (p. 66)
Ridenour to Admiral Cruz:
"'What's the real good of the Empire? Isn't it the solidarity of many civilized planets? Isn't it also the stimulus of diversity between those planets?'" (p. 69)
Ridenour to himself:
"'We may learn much from [the Freehold outbackers]. If we ever fall, they'll carry on something of what was ours. But I'd better not emphasize this." (ibid.)
Longer after the Empire has fallen:
"'...neo-Freeholder technique...'"
-Poul Anderson, "The Sharing of Flesh" IN Anderson, Flandry's Legacy (Riverdale, NY, June 2012), pp. 661-708 AT p. 689 -
- is still in use.
Ridenour, like Flandry, tries to preserve planetary cultures that will survive the Empire.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you wrote here. But, what the Outbackers did in destroying the Nine Cities on Freehold was wrong. I hope the Outbackers paid HEAVY compensation to the former residents of the Cities.
Ad astra! Sean