Isaac Asimov's "Foundation", hailed as one of the great classics of science fiction, is a book of many layers. While appearing on the surface to be a rather standard science fiction title, the truth is that, when inspected with a more critical eye, Asimov actually wrote a very interesting social commentary into his novel. Contained in the text of this volume is an analysis of civilization, entropy, and the different forms that power can assume.
In the opening pages of "Foundation", the planet of Trantor, capital and hub for the Galactic Empire is described. While at first glance this planet seems, in the words of the book's first introduced character, "glorious", and is described as a sprawling, planetary cityscape, it is later suggested that it is in reality a place of misery and repression, and yet of opulence and prosperity. Very early on in the events of the book, it is revealed that the Galactic Empire is, despite, or perhaps due to, its appearance of success and wealth, collapsing in upon itself.
In this, we find the first commentary, which in fact mirrors history. Here we see that a society, as occurred with the Roman Empire, can grow only up to a certain point, after which it begins declining and decaying, due in part to the gross levels of comfort that its populace become used to. This reliance upon comfort leads to an eventual loss of civic virtue among the people of the society. Once virtue is lost, the moral framework which holds a society together begins to fail, and after a time, crumbles, leading to a collapse of the society itself.
Following the fall of the Galactic Empire, a small group of settlers known form what is called the "Foundation", in the hopes of re-establishing a Second Empire. In the ...
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...why there is no character development. However, the Foundation itself goes through many changes throughout the course of the story, and has its own development. It could even be argued that the Foundation is the main character.
This also parallels the way that society functions at times, where it is perceived that the need of the many outweighs the needs of the few or of the one. While this is sometimes correct, it can often be a road leading to disaster, especially if lives are thrown away or ignored for the sake of a fool's venture.
In conclusion, "Foundation", while seemingly a simple science fiction novel, is in fact an intricate and tightly-woven commentary on society's weaknesses and failings, the forms that power can take, and society's "greater good" thinking. Overall, if read properly, this book can shed a fascinating light on society as we know it.
Despite being an immediate bestseller, shortly after publishing, Edward Gibbon’s History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire became unpopular with large groups of the British reading public. The abridged edition consecutively presents the stories behind the Empire’s leadership and course of action. Gibbon revivifies the complex and compelling period of the Romans by detailing the prosperous conditions of the empire, the decline, and the aftermath of the fall. At the same time, Gibbon efficiently scrutinizes the declining virtue of the Roman people. Gibbon made an argument that the intellectual inflexibility of the Roman Empire had declined into “barbarism” and “Christianity,” which ultimately attributed to the fall of the Empire. Many ideas in international politics may have the best foundations for evidence but quickly go out of style. The ideas behind Gibbon’s Decline did just that. Many authors attribute the decline of the Roman Empire to military and economic characteristics rather than virtuous leadership and characteristics. Because Gibbon takes a humanist approach in describing decline, he undermines legitimate factors that modern political scientists would evaluate. Gibbon wrote in a paradigm that has little value for modern political science and as such, is a really bad idea. His idea- the decline of the Roman virtue having consequences beyond structural factors- is, in effect, an idea that should not be used for anything except teaching the definition of virtue and reviewing history. Because of the paradigm going out of style, The Decline would not have survived with merit had it not been for the intriguing anecdotes and tales of the many characters.
On that first fateful day, when Romulus struck down his own brother Remus, the cauldron of Rome was forged in blood and betrayal. The seeds on the Palatine hill cultured one of the most potent and stretching empires of human history. Though this civilization seemingly wielded the bolts of Zeus, they were infested with violence, vanity, and deception. Yet, one man—or seemingly “un”-man—outshone and out-graced his surroundings and everyone within it. He brought Rome several victories and rescued his beloved country from an early exodus, thus providing her a second beginning. This man was Marcus Furius Camillus, and against a logical and emotional mind, he was oft less than loved and celebrated. At times he was disregarded, insulted and even exiled—irrevocably an unwarranted method to reward Rome’s “Second Founder.” This contrast of character between hero and people was perhaps too drastic and too grand. The people were not yet ready to see Marcus Furius Camillus as a model of behavior to be emulated—to be reproduced. Hence, much of Livy’s Book 5 provides a foundation for the Roman people to imitate and assimilate a contrasting, honest, and strong behavior and temperament
Davidson, James West., Brian DeLay, and Christine Leigh. Heyrman. "Chapter Six: Imperial Triumph, Imperial Crisis." US: a Narrative History. McGraw-Hill Higher Education: New York, 2012. 103-19. Print.
...downfall.Mostly societies fall due to whoever is leading them, like in Athens they were told to retreat inside of the walls which lead to an outbreak that killed ⅓ of the city’s population.Although trying to make a “perfect” society never ends up working out, we can learn from our mistakes and always try to make ours better. As I once said, “It is not possible to create a perfect society for imperfect beings.”
“Civilization and Its Discontents” is a book written by Sigmund Freud in 1929 (originally titled “Das Unbehagen in der Kultur” or The Uneasiness in Culture.) This is considered to be one of Freud’s most important and widely read works. In this book, Freud explains his perspective by enumerating what he sees as fundamental tensions between civilization and the individual. He asserts that this tension stems from the individual’s quest for freedom and non-conformity and civilization’s quest for uniformity and instinctual repression. Most of humankind’s primitive instincts are clearly destructive to the health and well-being of a human community (such as the desire to kill.) As a direct result, civilization creates laws designed to prohibit killing, rape, and adultery, and has severe consequences for those that break these laws. Freud argues that this process is an inherent quality of civilization that instills perpetual feelings of discontent in its citizens. This theory is based on the idea that humans have characteristic instincts that are immutable. The most notable of these are the desires for sex, and the predisposition to violent aggression towards authoritative figures as well as sexual competitors. Both of these obstruct the gratification of a person’s instincts. Freud also believes that humans are governed by the pleasure principle, and that they will do whatever satisfies or pleasures them. He also believes that fulfilling these instincts satisfies the pleasure principle.
A famous philosopher named Aristotle once said, "He who is unable to live in a society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god" (Moncur ). Ever since the first humans, people have sought to live and grow where other people are. This organization of people living together as a community is called a society. For the members of it, society furnishes protection, continuity, security and identity. Without a society to be a part of, man is nothing. Therefore, if a man comes into conflict with his society, he must either accept these differences or be destroyed. This nightmare comes to life in Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart, when the main character, Okonkwo, clashes with his society's beliefs. The conflict that exists between Okonkwo and his society is what ultimately leads him to his downfall.
"'God isn't compatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happiness.'" So says Mustapha Mond, the World Controller for Western Europe in Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World. In doing so, he highlights a major theme in this story of a Utopian society. Although the people in this modernized world enjoy no disease, effects of old age, war, poverty, social unrest, or any other infirmities or discomforts, Huxley asks 'is the price they pay really worth the benefits?' This novel shows that when you must give up religion, high art, true science, and other foundations of modern life in place of a sort of unending happiness, it is not worth the sacrifice.
In Political Confessions of Faith, Metternich identifies two elements that are most important to a nation. These two are the precepts of morality, religious as well as social, and the necessities created by locality (2). Metternich explains that whenever society strays from these elements, the only thing it its wake is bloodshed. Because of new ways of thinking, the people of this time period’s values and morals have changed. Lavish living has become more important than worship. The revolution caused the sense of locality to vanish, along with the necessities created by it. Lavish spending and entitlement led people to revolt.
Humans have a tendency to point out the flaws in their peers, simply because it is easier to find someone’s flaws instead of their strengths. Bertrand Russell’s essay, “Individual liberty and Public Control,” supports this idea by suggesting that all societies are quick to judge and immediately reject any change that makes itself present in the community. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, and Mark Antony are innovators that gain direct support of the Roman masses and refute this idea of societies direct resistance to change. Bertrand Russell’s views on society’s reaction to innovators and the upheaval of the status quo are not an accurate depiction of the Roman republic’s reaction to the three key innovators of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
Empires are made weak by their own indignation, they are believed to be the master but are actually the slave, and they are ravaged by their own conquest until
In the Empire, the Emperor had complete jurisdiction over all policies and decisions. In the beginnings of the empire, h...
Social apathy was beginning to spread throughout the empire. The majority of citizens were neglected forcefully excluded from political participation, rejected from the army and had no other choice but to live off the land (Document 4). This oppression towards the people caused many citizens to feel like the old civilization was not worth saving (Document 4). Furthermore, corruption and turmoil grew in the political system of Rome. From 235-285 C.E Rome lost eight emperors to assassinations (Document 1). The government’s desire for money became more important than its job to protect its citizens. In Rome wealthy lawbreakers go unpunished, while the poor were forced to undergo their chastisement (Document 6). The state was beginning to lose three virtues it was built on: patriotism, discipline and devotion to duty. The lack of these three values weakened the social and political systems.
One of Plato's goals in The Republic, as he defines the Just City, is to illustrate what kind of leader and government could bring about the downfall of his ideal society. To prevent pride and greed in leaders would ensure that they would not compromise the well being of the city to obtain monetary gains or to obtain more power. If this state of affairs becomes firmly rooted in the society, the fall to Tyranny begins. This is the most dangerous state that the City become on i...
The Republic is an examination of the "Good Life"; the harmony reached by applying pure reason and justice. The ideas and arguments of Plato center on the social settings of an ideal republic - those that lead each person to the most perfect possible life for him. Socrates was Plato's early mentor in real life. As a tribute to his teacher, Plato uses Socrates in several of his works and dialogues. Socrates moderates the discussion throughout, as Plato's mouthpiece. Through Socrates' powerful and brilliant questions and explanations on a series of topics, the reader comes to understand what Plato's model society would look like. The basic plan of the Republic is to draw an analogy between the operation of society as a whole and the life of any individual human being. In this paper I will present Plato’s argument that the soul is divides into three parts. I will examine what these parts are, and I will also explain his arguments behind this conclusion. Finally, I will describe how Plato relates the three parts of the soul to a city the different social classes within that city.
Human nature is not simply a measure of our human tendencies. It is both individual and collective. It does not explain why events happen. Instead, it explains the subconscious of each individual in the instant that events happen. The social order that best fits human nature is one where the informed opinions of everyone creates decisions and causes action. Madison’s argument for and against factions, Aristotle’s idea of ultimate happiness, and Locke’s concept of popular government and human rights all offer a significant component to the larger concept that is human nature. While some may argue that we will only fully understand human nature when we are met with death, still we can begin to capture a slight understanding to what governs human nature and the political order that helps it grow.