Not exactly. The government in starship troopers is nationalistic, but not fascist; it’s a liberal limited meritocratic democracy, people still have power but only those that earn the power (somewhat like the Roman Republic but that’s a whole other story filled with socii and quasi-autonomy).
“Starship Troopers” the book is blatantly fascist, Heinlein became a fascist in his later years.
“Starship Troopers” the movie IS a parody of fascism, Verhoeven literally based the Starship Trooper’s symbols on Nazi iconography.
"Although some contemporary critics and audiences considered Starship Troopers to be an endorsement of fascism, Verhoeven said, “whenever you see something that you think is fascist, you should know that the filmmakers agree with your opinion.”
Ha I also asked my dad about it maybe 10-15 years ago. He’s a huge scifi fan and I tore through his library of asimov, Heinlein, silverberg, Anderson, etc as a teen 10 years before that. He remains convinced that it’s a satire from a conservative about dangerous conservatism. Which is funny to write as a lefty
Militarist liberal, shaped by his experience in the US Navy during WW2. He’s been accused of thinking of the ideal military officer as a modern warrior-poet.
People who call him an outright fascist are simply wrong, though he meant Starship Troopers seriously. The movie was written and directed as satire, by a director who never finished the very short novel, so don’t consider it as a source of Heinlein’s views.
While he puts military service on a pedestal, the most fascistic element of the work is probably his endorsing of “citizenship through service,” ie you have to earn your vote through a year or whatever of government service. In the movie it’s implied as military only, the book makes it clear you can also do civil service.
That is probably the most common misunderstanding of the novel, even Wikipedia claims it is military only.
Not exactly. The government in starship troopers is nationalistic, but not fascist; it’s a liberal limited meritocratic democracy, people still have power but only those that earn the power (somewhat like the Roman Republic but that’s a whole other story filled with socii and quasi-autonomy).
“Starship Troopers” the book is blatantly fascist, Heinlein became a fascist in his later years.
“Starship Troopers” the movie IS a parody of fascism, Verhoeven literally based the Starship Trooper’s symbols on Nazi iconography.
"Although some contemporary critics and audiences considered Starship Troopers to be an endorsement of fascism, Verhoeven said, “whenever you see something that you think is fascist, you should know that the filmmakers agree with your opinion.”
Also Sargon is just a fascist puppet.
The book was a commentary on fascism. Not a celebration of it.
I thought that when I read it too, but I asked my folks and they were big scifi fans at the time, and it’s unironic.
wikipedia also says its unironic, for what its worth:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers#Criticism_of_militarism
If you read Heinlein’s wikipedia page it also checks out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein#Views
Ha I also asked my dad about it maybe 10-15 years ago. He’s a huge scifi fan and I tore through his library of asimov, Heinlein, silverberg, Anderson, etc as a teen 10 years before that. He remains convinced that it’s a satire from a conservative about dangerous conservatism. Which is funny to write as a lefty
Heinlein also wrote characters who spoke approvingly of their hyperlibertarian society in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
I think his politics aren’t so easy to pin down.
Sure they are.
Militarist liberal, shaped by his experience in the US Navy during WW2. He’s been accused of thinking of the ideal military officer as a modern warrior-poet.
People who call him an outright fascist are simply wrong, though he meant Starship Troopers seriously. The movie was written and directed as satire, by a director who never finished the very short novel, so don’t consider it as a source of Heinlein’s views.
While he puts military service on a pedestal, the most fascistic element of the work is probably his endorsing of “citizenship through service,” ie you have to earn your vote through a year or whatever of government service. In the movie it’s implied as military only, the book makes it clear you can also do civil service.
That is probably the most common misunderstanding of the novel, even Wikipedia claims it is military only.
Found the fascist
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