Звездный десант

           Furthermore,ourfranchisedcitizensarenoteverywhereasmallfraction;youknoworshouldknowthatthepercentageofcitizensamongadultsrangesfromovereightypercentonIskandertolessthanthreepercentinsomeTerrannationsyetgovernmentismuchthesameeverywhere.Norarethevoterspickedmen;theybringnospecialwisdom,talent,ortrainingtotheirsovereigntasks.Sowhatdifferenceistherebetweenourvotersandwieldersoffranchiseinthepast?Wehavehadenoughguesses;

           I’llstatetheobvious:Underoursystemeveryvoterandofficeholderisamanwhohasdemonstratedthroughvoluntaryanddifficultservicethatheplacesthewelfareofthegroupaheadofpersonaladvantage.

           "Andthatistheonepracticaldifference."

           "Hemayfailinwisdom,hemaylapseincivicvirtue.Buthisaverageperformanceisenormouslybetterthanthatofanyotherclassofrulersinhistory."

           MajorReidpausedtotouchthefaceofanold-fashionedwatch,"reading"itshands."Theperiodisalmostoverandwehaveyettodeterminethemoralreasonforoursuccessingoverningourselves.Nowcontinuedsuccessisneveramatterofchance.Bearinmindthatthisisscience,notwishfulthinking;theuniverseiswhatitis,notwhatwewantittobe.Tovoteistowieldauthority;itisthesupremeauthorityfromwhichallotherauthorityderives—suchasminetomakeyourlivesmiserableonceaday.Force,ifyouwill!--thefranchiseisforce,nakedandraw,thePoweroftheRodsandtheAx.