Controversial but naive

Robert A. Heinleins novel "Starship Troopers" still creates controversy, generations after it was first published. Indeed, the well-known movie "Starship Troopers" was actually a veiled criticism of the book!

Is Heinlein's book racist or fascist? Is it a Cold War allegory? Is it anti-democratic and militarist? How does this novel square with Heinlein's reputation for being a libertarian and near-hippie? These questions are still being hotly debated.

"Starship Troopers" describe a future society in which only people who have served in the military enjoy full citizenship rights. Only honorably discharged soldiers have the right to vote and run for office. Strangely enough, the non-citizens enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of worship and the right to start businesses. Heinlein's future society thus looks like modern America, but with a Marine Corps-like military caste superimposed on top. In the novel, humanity wages a never-ending war against several races of intelligent space aliens, including the collectivist Arachnids, who resemble spiders. Many people take the Arachnids to be a symbol for Communism in general or Red China in particular. Imperial Japan is another possibility.

Heinlein's novel attempts to solve that ancient question: how can a society make sure that the best people serve in office? This question is particularly acute in democracies, where anyone can stand for office, and everyone can vote. Heinlein's solution is to limit the franchise to those who have served in the military. In this way, only the best are selected for the job. And those willing to put their lives on the line must be the best. But does that really solve the problem?

A military is not necessarily a good administrator or politician. The best in times of peace might be different from the best in times of war. Heinlein's system only works if a total and never-ending war is raging. Indeed, the war against the Arachnids certainly seem to be such. But if so, it's naive to expect freedom of speech or extensive rights for non-citizens. The system would become a military dictatorship pure and simple, like in the movie "Starship Troopers".

The soldiers in the novel are probably inspired by the philosopher-kings and Guardians of Plato's "Republic". After rigorous military training, the officers are given courses in moral philosophy, history and politics. But there are also similiarities with ancient Athenian democracy. Every citizen of ancient Athens was expected to serve in the army or navy. There was a connection between rights and duties. But note that many non-citizens in Athens were slaves!

Ultimately, "Starship Troopers" is unconvincing, even naive. You simply cannot give political power to the military, no matter how the military is recruited, and expect everything else to stay the same.