The Stars Like Dust

So, I just finished reading The Stars Like Dust, the first of Isaac Asimov's galactic empire novels. I've already read all the foundation and robot books, and just got my hands on the empire novels recently. in general I like Asimov's work, sure there are lots of criticisms that can be aimed at it, and justifiably so, but I like his stories because they are great science fiction. They don't just take place in the future and with advanced technology as part of the setting, Asimov uses the premise of a science fiction setting to explore some aspect of the human psyche.

As for The Stars Like Dust, it feels a little lackluster and overly convoluted to me. There are all these plots within plots that the characters are only able to navigate because they are characters in a book, and the character don't really act like people; yeah this problem exists in some of Asimov's other works, but it really stands out here. And then the ending just seems so ridiculous to me. The constitution of the USA is going to be this revolutionary document that will disrupt all the governments of the interstellar kingdoms, yeah right!

I get that Asmiov's galaxy is thousands of years in earth's future, and yeah I guess the US could be completely forgotten. But to have the entire idea of democratic or republican government forgotten, or not in use, or not to evolve naturally again is just ridiculous. And then there's the constitution, it's not really that revolutionary of a document, at least not enough to reform society all on its own. It's not like the US government is the best that's ever existed or could exist. If anyone thinks it is, they should look at the state of the US right now, where one man has so much power that he can openly violate that document that is supposed to be so special, and the people that are supposed to hold him in check are too cowardly to do anything about it. Or if that subject hits too close home, the constitution, this perfect and sacrosanct document, gave one man the power to forcibly remove an entire people from their homeland. And where was the constitution when the leader of this 'great' country invaded a neighboring one just to gain more territory? But that was okay because that was somehow part of this country's destiny. I could go on; my point is that the US constitution and our government is not as perfect as everyone is told it is. Persons will abuse power whenever given the opportunity.

So it is kind of ridiculous that the US constitution is supposed to be some kind of revolutionary document in this far flung future. At what point in history has any people discovered the political organization of a long dead state and had their entire society disrupted by that discovery? It just doesn't happen, sure people gain inspiration from the past, but it isn't going to change anything overnight because "There is nothing new under the sun."(Ecclesiastes 1:9) Sure I can see the USA eventually being forgotten, but the idea of democratic government, I don't think so.