I always find it interesting to read stories investigating alternative ideas. I’m generally very left wing in my views. Stories like starship troopers are 1 way of doing it.
The thing is, such a system has some significant advantages. You just need to paper over the cracks. The biggest issue is the requirement for an external enemy. Without one, it would likely turn inwards and destroy itself. In the book’s case it’s the bugs that provide this. They are also not mindless. You start the book with a terror raid on an ally of the bugs, proving they are capable of interstellar diplomacy. It’s designed to “persuade” them to stay out of the war, but they also idly use nuclear weapons on civilian targets.
A “benevolent dictator” funnelling public funds and lives into an offensive war effort to keep the populace unified in hate sounds, and is meant to sound hellish. It’s an unnecessary waste of resources and lives that comes at the direct expense of providing for your people.
Common goals, with a strong unifying purpose for 1. Opportunities for significant advancement. Significant investment into medical care. Strong leadership direction. An extremely egalitarian society. Filtering of those in power.
Just because it’s a horrifying setup doesn’t mean it doesn’t have advantages. It’s possible to dissect a large complex idea and extract useful tools from it. It also helps you better see the pitfalls, both to help you make decisions on it, and explain the problems to others.
A couple of examples. The Nazis significantly improved the fitness level of a large chunk of the population. Nazi scientists were also critical in America making it to the moon. The current German autobahn road network is one of the best built in the world.
Just because the source is horrifying doesn’t mean everything it is attached to is also horrifying. The catch is separating the 2, or explaining why the cost is not worth the benefit.
And just to clarify. I’m a strong proponent of a robust social safety net. I also think all “natural monopoly” infrastructure should be controlled by a government owned non profit. Capitalism and nationalism should be treated like fire. A fire in a hearth will keep you warm. A fire in a smelter will help make steel. A fire in your bedroom will kill your family. Useful, but controlled and channeled.
Common goals, with a strong unifying purpose for 1.
In no way reliant on a benevolent dictator, and using authoritarianism to push a purpose generally results in outcomes like genocide and the annexation of neighbouring territories.
Opportunities for significant advancement.
The opposite is typically true as autocratic leaders use their power to entrench their power, enforcing strong hierarchies.
Significant investment into medical care.
This one is a mixed bag, but also isn’t remotely dependent on an autocrat.
Strong leadership direction.
That needs to point in a positive direction for it to be a positive - something that’s almost never happened for long
An extremely egalitarian society.
The opposite is almost invariably the case - preferential treatment (generally paired with bloodshed) is necessary to keep the powerful in power.
Filtering of those in power.
Who filters the dictator? That would mean they’re not a dictator.
Books like this are a “what if” game. The details, and the author’s biases will shape it. They are still useful tools however for seeing how things will play out.
I always find it interesting to read stories investigating alternative ideas. I’m generally very left wing in my views. Stories like starship troopers are 1 way of doing it.
The thing is, such a system has some significant advantages. You just need to paper over the cracks. The biggest issue is the requirement for an external enemy. Without one, it would likely turn inwards and destroy itself. In the book’s case it’s the bugs that provide this. They are also not mindless. You start the book with a terror raid on an ally of the bugs, proving they are capable of interstellar diplomacy. It’s designed to “persuade” them to stay out of the war, but they also idly use nuclear weapons on civilian targets.
A “benevolent dictator” funnelling public funds and lives into an offensive war effort to keep the populace unified in hate sounds, and is meant to sound hellish. It’s an unnecessary waste of resources and lives that comes at the direct expense of providing for your people.
What are the advantages?
Common goals, with a strong unifying purpose for 1. Opportunities for significant advancement. Significant investment into medical care. Strong leadership direction. An extremely egalitarian society. Filtering of those in power.
Just because it’s a horrifying setup doesn’t mean it doesn’t have advantages. It’s possible to dissect a large complex idea and extract useful tools from it. It also helps you better see the pitfalls, both to help you make decisions on it, and explain the problems to others.
A couple of examples. The Nazis significantly improved the fitness level of a large chunk of the population. Nazi scientists were also critical in America making it to the moon. The current German autobahn road network is one of the best built in the world.
Just because the source is horrifying doesn’t mean everything it is attached to is also horrifying. The catch is separating the 2, or explaining why the cost is not worth the benefit.
And just to clarify. I’m a strong proponent of a robust social safety net. I also think all “natural monopoly” infrastructure should be controlled by a government owned non profit. Capitalism and nationalism should be treated like fire. A fire in a hearth will keep you warm. A fire in a smelter will help make steel. A fire in your bedroom will kill your family. Useful, but controlled and channeled.
In no way reliant on a benevolent dictator, and using authoritarianism to push a purpose generally results in outcomes like genocide and the annexation of neighbouring territories.
The opposite is typically true as autocratic leaders use their power to entrench their power, enforcing strong hierarchies.
This one is a mixed bag, but also isn’t remotely dependent on an autocrat.
That needs to point in a positive direction for it to be a positive - something that’s almost never happened for long
The opposite is almost invariably the case - preferential treatment (generally paired with bloodshed) is necessary to keep the powerful in power.
Who filters the dictator? That would mean they’re not a dictator.
I liked the general approach, but my own system designed by the same method plus my, not author’s personality would look completely different.
Books like this are a “what if” game. The details, and the author’s biases will shape it. They are still useful tools however for seeing how things will play out.