Having read some other Heinlein, I don’t think the man was capable of being pro-fascism (see The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land). The book, in only my personal opinion, seemed more like a thought experiment, like most science fiction
I was curious, cuz I wasn’t sure either. Wikipedia has a summary:
It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960,[3] and was praised by reviewers for its scenes of training and combat and its visualization of a future military.[11][12] It also became enormously controversial because of the political views it seemed to support. Reviewers were strongly critical of the book’s intentional glorification of the military,[13][14] an aspect described as propaganda and likened to recruitment.[15] The novel’s militarism, and the fact that government service – most often military service – was a prerequisite to the right to vote in the novel’s fictional society, led to it being frequently described as fascist.[14][16][17] Others disagree, arguing that Heinlein was only exploring the idea of limiting the right to vote to a certain group of people.
Lol And then for the 1997(!!) movie it says:
The film was directed by Paul Verhoeven (who found the book too boring to finish)
It had the stated intention of treating its material in an ironic or sarcastic manner, to undermine the political ideology of the novel.
The first chapter is one of the best battle scenes I’ve ever read.
Also, the political system is democratic. The caveat is that in order to vote you have to demonstrated a willingness to put something ahead of your personal comfort. Anyone can do Service. It explicitly says in the book that “a blind man in a wheelchair” would be given tasks within his ability to perform in order to vote.
Wasn’t the original novel just pro fascist, but the movie made it into a ‘pro fascist’ satire? Or am I remembering that wrong?
Having read some other Heinlein, I don’t think the man was capable of being pro-fascism (see The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land). The book, in only my personal opinion, seemed more like a thought experiment, like most science fiction
Heinlein experimented with loads of governmental and social structures, Starship Troopers was one such experiment.
There’s debate on whether Heinlein meant it as satire or actual advice.
I was curious, cuz I wasn’t sure either. Wikipedia has a summary:
Lol And then for the 1997(!!) movie it says:
You should read the novel yourself.
The first chapter is one of the best battle scenes I’ve ever read.
Also, the political system is democratic. The caveat is that in order to vote you have to demonstrated a willingness to put something ahead of your personal comfort. Anyone can do Service. It explicitly says in the book that “a blind man in a wheelchair” would be given tasks within his ability to perform in order to vote.
Paul Verhoeven couldn’t finish a short book so he picked two chapters that capture nothing of the book’s intent.
The book was satire.