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.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I 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
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