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Revolution at what cost?

April 10th, 2007 Liz C. - Alicia Ashman

Any revolution can be viewed from many viewpoints: a struggle against oppression; a desire to adapt a new set of rules; a terrorist action.  Settled as a penal colony for Earth, Moon colony initiates its rebellion for self government in Robert Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. The moon is needed by Earth for its raw materials but once those are exhausted then it would be left a barren desert.   And its inhabitants would be unable to return to Earth due to physical changes from living at reduced gravity.  Aided by the sentient computer that runs all the systems on the moon, the revolution succeeds but at what cost? 

Heinlein’s classic tale was written in 1966 but certainly a lot of what he was writing about is still with us today, as seen in Iraq and the attempt to impose a system of government from the outside.  Winner of the Hugo Award, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress exemplifies what is best about science fiction: that it be thought provoking as well as entertaining.

Entry Filed under: Science Fiction