"...a roughly uniform interstellar economy was maintained by tacit agreement after the political separations, since it was not widely recognized then - or now - that this much older invention can enforce a more thorough rule than can any personal or party autocracy."
-James Blish, "A Style in Treason" IN Blish, Anywhen (New York, 1970), pp. 13-55 AT CHAPTER FOUR, p. 27.
When Chee Lan says:
"'The new-discovered species will simply have to accumulate capital. Yours did. Mine did soon after. We can't give a free ride to the whole universe.'"
-"Lodestar," p. 338.
- David Falkayn replies:
"'N-no. Yet you know yourself - be honest - how quick somebody already established would be to take away that bit of capital, whether by market manipulations or by thinly disguised piracy.'" (ibid.)
Falkayn spells out economic power.
What is this about not giving the whole universe a free ride?
"'...a technology that could make every last livin' bein' rich...'"
-Poul Anderson, The Game Of Empire IN Anderson, Flandry's Legacy (Riverdale, NY, June 2012), pp. 189-453 AT CHAPTER FIFTEEN, p. 349.
With sufficiently advanced technology, it could be done.
In another timeline, the Time Patrol suppresses the Trazon matter transmuter which:
"...could have spelled unlimited wealth for the entire species."
-Poul Anderson, "Ivory, and Apes, and Peacocks" IN Anderson, Time Patrol (Riverdale, NY, December 2010), pp. 229-331 AT 257.
We, editorially speaking, are concerned about such issues and find them in Poul Anderson's texts.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
For many reasons Diana Crowfeather was being naive. But she was only 17 then, so that was understandable.
I only have to mention how aggressive civilized powers like Merseia were not interested in peace and prosperity for anybody but Merseians. Also, barbarians who had gained advanced technology too soon would use it for raiding and plundering. These facts alone made it inevitable that the Empire would need to devote vast resources for the means of self defense.
Hope this uploads.
Ad astra! Sean
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