Звездный десант

           Whetheritisexertedbytenmenorbytenbillion,politicalauthorityisforce."

           "Butthisuniverseconsistsofpaireddualities.Whatistheconverseofauthority?Mr.Rico."

           HehadpickedoneIcouldanswer."Responsibility,sir."

           "Applause.Bothforpracticalreasonsandformathematicallyverifiablemoralreasons,authorityandresponsibilitymustbeequal--elseabalancingtakesplaceassurelyascurrent‘flowsbetweenpointsofunequalpotential.Topermitirresponsibleauthorityistosowdisaster;toholdamanresponsibleforanythinghedoesnotcontrolistobehavewithblindidiocy.Theunlimiteddemocracieswereunstablebecausetheircitizenswerenotresponsibleforthefashioninwhichtheyexertedtheirsovereignauthority...otherthanthroughthetragiclogicofhistory.Theunique‘polltax’thatwemustpaywasunheardof.Noattemptwasmadetodeterminewhetheravoterwassociallyresponsibletotheextentofhisliterallyunlimitedauthority.Ifhevotedtheimpossible,thedisastrouspossiblehappenedinstead--andresponsibilitywasthenforcedonhimwilly-nillyanddestroyedbothhimandhisfoundationlesstemple."

           "Superficially,oursystemisonlyslightlydifferent;wehavedemocracyunlimitedbyrace,color,creed,birth,wealth,sex,orconviction,andanyonemaywinsovereignpowerbyausuallyshortandnottooarduoustermofservice--nothingmorethanalightworkouttoourcave-manancestors.