Quote:
Originally Posted by xg4bx
i just finished On Basilisk Station (the 1st Honor Harrington) a few days ago. unless things change further into the series, both conservatives and liberals were portrayed with equal disdain.
|
It doesn't change.
Trying to map manticoran politics to contemporary definitions is a futile exercise.
First, there are four parties in the mix.
Second, the politicians and their parties' positions exist to serve the plot.
(The series *is* space opera, not shakespeare.)
For example, the Conservative association is generally presented as vile isolationist reactionaries, say republicans as portrayed by a Harvard Liberal; the liberals are naive condescending bleeding hearts, say Patrick Buchanan's idea of democrats. Both are equally corrupt, amoral, and power hungry. Both are led by old money aristocrats. Both are eventually found to be involved in the genetic slave trade and both team up to prolong a war in order to avoid calling an election keep their coalition government in power. The third party is the middle of the road merchantilist, nouveau riche, New Men. Their bloc is so middle of the road they will happily work with any party, as long as the price is right.
The good guys are royalists who support the queen and her power bloc, the commoners. They are smart, honest, civic-minded, and far-sighted. They are fiscally conservative but socially liberal.
In other words, totally unlike any political party on earth.
I did say the series is space opera, no?
When it comes to politics and SF it is easy to read entirely too much into the stories.
Most of the time it is best to just go with the flow to see where it takes you. The best will take you some place new.