Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
IfpopularfaithintheMachinescanbedestroyedtothepointwheretheyareabandoned,itwillbethelawofthejungleagain.-AndnotoneofthefourRegionscanbefreedofthesuspicionofwantingjustthat.
"TheEasthashalfofhumanitywithinitsborders,andtheTropicsmorethanhalfofEarth’sresources.EachcanfeelitselfthenaturalrulersofallEarth,andeachhasahistoryofhumiliationbytheNorth,forwhichitcanbehumanenoughtowishasenselessrevenge.Europehasatraditionofgreatness,ontheotherhand.ItoncedidruletheEarth,andthereisnothingsoeternallyadhesiveasthememoryofpower.
"Yet,inanotherway,it’shardtobelieve.BoththeEastandtheTropicsareinastateofenormousexpansionwithintheirownborders.Bothareclimbingincredibly.Theycannothavethespareenergyformilitaryadventures.AndEuropecanhavenothingbutitsdreams.Itisacipher,militarily."
"So,Stephen,"saidSusan,"youleavetheNorth."
"Yes,"saidByerley,energetically,"Ido.TheNorthisnowthestrongest,andhasbeenfornearlyacentury,oritscomponentpartshavebeen.Butitislosingrelatively,now.TheTropicRegionsmaytaketheirplaceintheforefrontofcivilizationforthefirsttimesincethePharaohs,andthereareNorthernerswhofearthat.
`"The’SocietyforHumanity’isaNorthernorganization,primarily,youknow,andtheymakenosecretofnotwantingtheMachines.-Susan,theyarefewinnumbers,butitisanassociationofpowerfulmen.
