The Double Kingdom has a population of one billion whereas Earth has four billion. However, the Double Kingdom can raise one hundred million soldiers. Every citizen has military training. Everyone not in combat contributes. The entire economy is militarized. The population survives:
"'...for years at a stretch with no comfort and a bare minimum of necessities.'" (p. 171)
That sounds relevant now.
The Premier of the Terrestrial Federation Parliament must suddenly face:
"...this fact which Civilization screened from Earth: that the depths of hell are found in the human soul." (p. 172)
Profound reflections in a space opera. That sounds like the realization in Anderson's Psychotechnic History that the protean enemy is man himself.
6 comments:
As Max Weber put it so succinctly: "The ultimately decisive means of political action is always violence."
So if you can't do violence effectively, nothing else matters because someone will kill you.
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
Paul: Absolutely! Human beings are innately prone to being quarrelsome, ambitious, strife prone, and violent.
Mr. Stirling: Again, absolutely! Weber was right. And Flavius Vegetius put it even more succinctly in DE RE MILITARI: "If you want peace prepare for war."
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Absolutely! Esp. if your enemies decide the cost of keeping you from getting what you want is too high for them.
But too many of our incompetent, blundering leaders don't understand or want to accept that obvious fact.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: well, leaders have to recon with followers... and wishful thinking is a very powerful force.
"Confirmation bias" and "motivated reasoning", to get technical.
People essentially believe what they want to believe, usually. The smarter and better informed they are, the better they are at rationalization.
Reality comes along now and then and gives them a good kicking, but as Kipling put it in THE GODS OF THE COPYBOOK HEADINGS:
"The fool's bandaged finger goes wobbling back to the fire".
I am pessimistic about the outcomes that I want.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree with both you and Kipling. A truly wise leader tries not to let confirmation bias and motivated reasoning taint his decision making too far. And he should not surround himself with yes men and sycophants.
Ad astra! Sean
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