Talks about evolution shows up twice: that of planets (and humans) in 11 and the evolution of governments in 12. Maybe later, just finished those two so far.
When talking about how planets with little hardship fail to develop tough species, is Heinlein really talking about humanity? In our history, the colonies in The Americas run by the French, Dutch, British, Spanish, Portuguese (and Swedish) rapidly developed their own cultures and eventually rebelled against their fostering nations. Some by force (USA) or by agreement (Canada) but eventually became considerably different than their founding nationalities. It only took 200 years, give or take.
Imagine space colonies, human populations exploding with an abundance of food, lack of warfare and endless frontiers to move into. Not to mention advanced medicines and technology. How long until they too cast off the "old ways" of Earth and adopt a new form of government and society? How will Earth react to that?
Will the New Planets become soft and exploitable? Or hard and dangerous? Would they keep their allegiance with their home world or align with its enemies?
Fascinating discussion for a book about killing alien "bugs" on distant worlds, eh?
Talks about evolution shows up twice: that of planets (and humans) in 11 and the evolution of governments in 12. Maybe later, just finished those two so far.
When talking about how planets with little hardship fail to develop tough species, is Heinlein really talking about humanity? In our history, the colonies in The Americas run by the French, Dutch, British, Spanish, Portuguese (and Swedish) rapidly developed their own cultures and eventually rebelled against their fostering nations. Some by force (USA) or by agreement (Canada) but eventually became considerably different than their founding nationalities. It only took 200 years, give or take.
Imagine space colonies, human populations exploding with an abundance of food, lack of warfare and endless frontiers to move into. Not to mention advanced medicines and technology. How long until they too cast off the "old ways" of Earth and adopt a new form of government and society? How will Earth react to that?
Will the New Planets become soft and exploitable? Or hard and dangerous? Would they keep their allegiance with their home world or align with its enemies?
Fascinating discussion for a book about killing alien "bugs" on distant worlds, eh?