In my rereading of the mainstream Honor Harrington novels, I have got
as far as the begining of "Flag in Exile" where a Grayson Admiral
predicts about Haven vs Manticore and Grayson "In the long run, the
decisive factor will probably be the respective strengths of our
political systems". I think a message of the Honorverse is that a
rigorous education system is a tremendous advantage. I have long
wondered about the long term survival of democracy, and whether it is
tied to technological progress.
Recent news/rumours about China lead me to wonder about possible
correlations between political systems and corruption - the excellent
YouTube video by Perun "How Corruption Destroys Armies..." illustrates
the damage this can do. Is there SF that examines, for example,
possible links between autocracy and corruption? Drake is uniformly
cynical, as is Heinlein, E.E.Smith magically selects the incorruptible.
In the Vorkosiverse I suspect that character's principles are allocated
as required to produce a good plot -and so on - nothing that seems to
be thinking about this.
In article<ee154851-1245-433f-9558-662eee2aeee2n@googlegroups.com>,
Andrew McDowell <mcdowell_ag@sky.com> wrote:
In my rereading of the mainstream Honor Harrington novels, I have got
as far as the begining of "Flag in Exile" where a Grayson Admiral
predicts about Haven vs Manticore and Grayson "In the long run, the decisive factor will probably be the respective strengths of our
political systems". I think a message of the Honorverse is that a
rigorous education system is a tremendous advantage. I have long
wondered about the long term survival of democracy, and whether it is
tied to technological progress.
Recent news/rumours about China lead me to wonder about possible correlations between political systems and corruption - the excellent YouTube video by Perun "How Corruption Destroys Armies..." illustrates
the damage this can do. Is there SF that examines, for example,
possible links between autocracy and corruption? Drake is uniformly cynical, as is Heinlein, E.E.Smith magically selects the incorruptible.
In the Vorkosiverse I suspect that character's principles are allocated
as required to produce a good plot -and so on - nothing that seems to
be thinking about this.
De Bodard's space opera features wretchedly corrupt, inept authoritarian governments whose survival seems to be based on every rival state being
just as bad.
On 1/13/2024 8:46 AM, Andrew McDowell wrote:
In my rereading of the mainstream Honor Harrington novels, I have gotas far as the begining of "Flag in Exile" where a Grayson Admiral
predicts about Haven vs Manticore and Grayson "In the long run, the
decisive factor will probably be the respective strengths of our
political systems". I think a message of the Honorverse is that a
rigorous education system is a tremendous advantage. I have long
wondered about the long term survival of democracy, and whether it is
tied to technological progress.
YouTube video by Perun "How Corruption Destroys Armies..." illustrates
Recent news/rumours about China lead me to wonder about possible >correlations between political systems and corruption - the excellent
the damage this can do. Is there SF that examines, for example, possible >links between autocracy and corruption? Drake is uniformly cynical, as
is Heinlein, E.E.Smith magically selects the incorruptible. In the >Vorkosiverse I suspect that character's principles are allocated as
required to produce a good plot -and so on - nothing that seems to be >thinking about this.
The most expensive army in the world is the one that loses the war,
because they cost you everything you had. Your freedom, your stuff, etc.
Lynn
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@gmail.com> writes:
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
It's been a while since I've read it, but as I recall, military service
is not the only choice; civil service is also available and confers the
vote just the same as military. I believe there was a conversation early
on to the effect that anyone who applies *will* be found a job, even if
it's make-work.
john
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
In article <86o7d1a210.fsf@building-m.net>,
John <john@building-m.simplistic-anti-spam-measure.net> wrote:
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@gmail.com> writes:
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
It's been a while since I've read it, but as I recall, military service
is not the only choice; civil service is also available and confers the >vote just the same as military. I believe there was a conversation early
on to the effect that anyone who applies *will* be found a job, even if >it's make-work.
john
Yes, but you don't get to choose the job. You can sign up wanting
Civil Service and still end up MI (and vice versa).
In article <86o7d1a210.fsf@building-m.net>,
John <john@building-m.simplistic-anti-spam-measure.net> wrote:
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@gmail.com> writes:
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
It's been a while since I've read it, but as I recall, military service
is not the only choice; civil service is also available and confers the
vote just the same as military. I believe there was a conversation early
on to the effect that anyone who applies *will* be found a job, even if
it's make-work.
john
Yes, but you don't get to choose the job. You can sign up wanting
Civil Service and still end up MI (and vice versa).
Robert Carnegie<rja.carnegie@gmail.com> writes:
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
It's been a while since I've read it, but as I recall, military service
is not the only choice; civil service is also available and confers the
vote just the same as military. I believe there was a conversation early
on to the effect that anyone who applies *will* be found a job, even if
it's make-work.
john
In article <86o7d1a210.fsf@building-m.net>,
John <john@building-m.simplistic-anti-spam-measure.net> wrote:
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@gmail.com> writes:
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
It's been a while since I've read it, but as I recall, military service
is not the only choice; civil service is also available and confers the
vote just the same as military. I believe there was a conversation early
on to the effect that anyone who applies *will* be found a job, even if
it's make-work.
john
Yes, but you don't get to choose the job. You can sign up wanting
Civil Service and still end up MI (and vice versa).
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@gmail.com> writes:
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
It's been a while since I've read it, but as I recall, military service
is not the only choice; civil service is also available and confers the
vote just the same as military.
I believe there was a conversation early
on to the effect that anyone who applies *will* be found a job, even if
it's make-work.
john
_Starship Troopers_ may operate like this
since, give or take, soldiers earn a vote
and helots don't. Though anyone, anyone
fit I suppose, can enter military service.
| Sysop: | Keyop |
|---|---|
| Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Users: | 546 |
| Nodes: | 16 (2 / 14) |
| Uptime: | 36:20:36 |
| Calls: | 10,392 |
| Calls today: | 3 |
| Files: | 14,064 |
| Messages: | 6,417,153 |