Imperial Stars 2-Republic and Empire
Or is there possibly one form of government that can withstand the curse of power and yet be strong enough to try conclusions with imperial legions . . .? Democracies endure until the citizens care more for what the state can give them than for its ability to defend rich and poor alike; until they care more for their privileges than their responsibilities; until they learn they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury and use the state as an instrument for plundering, first, those who have wealth, then those who create it. The American people seem to be learning that fatal lesson. The last forty years have seen the United States reject the temptations of empire, but nearly succumb to the seductions of democracy. We have reached the abyss, but not yet taken the last step over it. The survival of freedom itself is at stake; and that future is by no means certain. Cover Art by Alan Gutierrez |
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First printing, October 1987 Distributed by Simon & Schuster Printed in the United States of America |
ISBN-13: 978-0-671-65359-0
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DEDICATIONFor Sir Rodney Hartwell, who keeps alive ACKNOWLEDGMENTSREPUBLIC AND EMPIRE was written by J.E. Pournelle especially for this volume and appears here for the first time. Published by arrangement with the author and the author's agent, KirbyMcCauley Ltd. Copyright© 1987 by J.E. Pournelle. OUTWARD BOUND by Norman Spinrad first appeared in Analog Science Fiction magazine. It appears here by permission of the author. Copyright © 1964 by Conde Nast Publications. IN THE REALM OF THE HEART, IN THE WORLD OF THE KNIFE by Wayne Wightman was published originally in the August 1985 issue of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Copyright © 1985 by Davis Publications. DOING WELL BY DOING GOOD by Hayford Peirce was first published in the August 1975 issue of Analog Science Fiction magazine. Copyright © 1975 by Condé Nast Publications. CONSTITUTION FOR UTOPIA by John W. Campbell was first published under the title "Constitution" in the March 1961 issue of Analog Science Fiction. Copyright © 1961 by Street & Smith Publications. MINOR INGREDIENT by Eric Frank Russell was published in the March 1956 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. Published here by special arrangement with the author's estate and Scott Meredith Inc. Copyright © 1956 by Street & Smith Publications. THE TURNING WHEEL by Philip K. Dick first appeared in Science Fiction Stories #2 in 1954. It appears here by arrangement with the author's agent, Scott Meredith Inc. Copyright © 1987 by Philip K. Dick. REACTIONARY UTOPIAS by Gregory Benford was first published in the Winter issue of Far Frontiers in 1985. It appears here by special arrangement with the author. Copyright © 1985 by Gregory Benford. THESE SHALL NOT BE LOST by E.B. Cole appeared in the January 1953 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. Copyright © 1953 by Street & Smith Publications. DATA VS. EVIDENCE IN THE VOODOO SCIENCES by J.E. Pournelle first appeared in the October 1983 issue of Analog Science Fiction magazine. It appears here by permission of the author and the author's agent, Kirby McCauley Ltd. Copyright © 1983 by Davis Publications. NICARAGUA: A SPEECH TO MY FORMER COMRADES ON THE LEFT by David Horowitz was first published in Commentary in the June 1986 issue. It is published here by special arrangement with the author. Copyright © 1986 by the American Jewish Committee. CUSTOM FITTING by James White appeared in Stellar #2 Published by Ballantine Books in 1976 and edited by Judy-Lynn del Rev. It appears here with the permission of the author. Copyright © 1976 by Random House and James White. CONQUEST BY DEFAULT by Vernor Vinge was first published in the May 1968 issue of Analog Science Fiction magazine. It appears here by arrangement with the author. Copyright © 1968 by Conde Nast Publications. THE SKILLS OF XANADU by Theodore Sturgeon was published in the July 1956 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction magazine. Copyright © 1956 by the UPD Corporation. INTO THE SUNSET by D.C. Poyer first appeared in the July 1986 issue of Analog Science Fiction magazine. It is published by permission of the author. Copyright © 1986 by Davis Publications. SHIPWRIGHT by Donald Kingsbury was originally published in Analog Science Fiction magazine in the April 1978 issue. Copyright © 1978 by Conde Nast Publications. EMPIRE AND REPUBLIC: Crisis and Future by J.E. Pournelle was written especially for this volume and appears here for the first time. Copyright © 1987 by J.E. Pournelle & Associates. Research for certain nonfiction in this book was supported in part by grants from the Vaughn Foundation and the L-5 Society Promoting Space Development, 1060 E. Elm St., Tucson AZ 85709. Opinions expressed in this book are the sole responsibility of the authors. |
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Humans must have government. If they do not have it, they will create it. But what kind? In Volume I of the Imperial Stars series best-selling author Jerry Pournelle set out to find the answer. His reluctant conclusion: that throughout history, no matter in what form they began, all governments become empires—or are conquered by them. From Babylon, to Persia, to Rome, to the U.S.S.R.: no matter how high the founding ideals, the end is ever tyranny.