(v) I will part quote, part paraphrase a dialogue between Saracoglu and Luisa.
Luisa: "'Are we really going to attack the Ythrians?'" (III, p. 472)
Saracoglu: "'...negotiations are stalled...'" (ibid.)
Luisa: "'Who stalled them?'" (ibid.)
Saracoglu replies that Ythrians started most of the violence and that they are predators whose lack of a strong authority has:
"'...been a major stumbling block in the effort to reach an accommodation.'" (p. 473)
Luisa: "'How genuine was the effort - on our side?'" (ibid.)
She says that it is obvious that Terra has been preparing an attack. Saracoglu replies that:
given the destructiveness of modern weapons, it is necessary to prepare for the worst and to increase security;
interpenetration of spheres is unwise;
the Empire does not want to swallow the Domain but nevertheless there have been clashes.
Luisa: "Yes. Our traders are losing potential profits.'" (ibid.)
Saracoglu replies that there are not only commercial disputes but also political and military rivalries. Negotiators cannot divide territories because the populations of those territories would object to being treated as property.
Discussion of interpenetration leads to discussion of Avalon. Saracoglu imagines that the human majority on Avalon will be glad to join the Empire which shows how out of touch with reality he is.
He regards this occasion with Luisa as "...still salvageable...'" (p. 477) from his point of view so he does not spoil it by revealing that:
he has already requested a declaration of war;
this request was granted weeks previously;
it only remains for him and the Admiral to make this written declaration public when they are ready.
Yet he has just told Luisa:
"'It's never too late for peace.'" (p. 476)
We get the impression that:
Saracoglu or others on the Terran side stalled the negotiations;
the effort to reach an accommodation was not genuine on the Imperial side.
We have received confirmation of Luisa's statement that the Empire has been preparing for hostilities for quite a while. Now we have reached the end of Chapter III but not the end of this discussion between Saracoglu and Luisa.
6 comments:
The Domain doesn't have a "monopoly on violence" on its side; that is, it doesn't have a single institution that claims a monopoly on the use of violence for political purposes and effectively enforces that monopoly.
This isn't species-specific. Humans have had many societies without such an institution, where sub-groups can raid and feud as they please.
These examples on Earth show that if the other side doesn't have a government that can control its subjects, and you do, genuine peace ranges from difficult to impossible. That's because absent a government (in that sense) you have a high level of violence -all the time-.
So if you have a government and they don't, your border will burn unless you instill fear by beating the stuffing out of them whenever someone attacks your people -- and that involves grossly unequal exchanges of damage.
"Kill all, burn all, destroy all", to coin a phrase.
This seems to be an example of that, but on a more sophisticated level.
Some societies would have to operate as states externally even if not internally. In KNOWN SPACE, the Belt has a Political Section for dealing with the UN but not for its internal affairs.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Exactly, you expressed more clearly what I thought or felt. So I continue to disagree with Paul's poor opinion of Governor Saracoglu.
One point I would stress is that the period of time between Saracoglu receiving the Imperial rescript declaring war on the Domain and officially starting the war by publishing it was fairly lengthy. Because Admiral Cajal needed time for the military preparations. It also gave time for the diplomats to make one last effort to reach an agreement making war unnecessary.
I would not be surprised if, after the war, a chastened Domain tightened controls on how its people behaved outside the borders, even if that went against Ythrian instincts. Better than risking a war Ythri might lose catastrophically.
Ad astra! Sean
"other side doesn't have a government that can control its subjects, and you do, genuine peace ranges from difficult to impossible"
So would the Palestinians be such a case or is it that Hamas or the PLO is a government that doesn't *want* peace.
Jim,
There is a whole history of conflict behind that present situation in Palestine and just to mention it is to bring up instant polarization.
Paul.
Kaor, Jim!
Correct, scum like Hamas and the so called PLO don't want peace if that means making peace with the despised Jews!
Ad astra! Sean
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