uldn't put some
troops up for a while--or he could pay them with plunder. So you did get
civil wars. Later, when the Empire had broken up and warfare relied
largely on the individual barbarian who brought his own weapons with
him, government loosened. It had to--any ruler who got to throwing his
weight around too much would have insurrection on his hands. Then as war
again became an art--well, you see how it goes. There are other factors,
of course, like religion--ideology in general. But by and large, it's
worked out the way I explained it. Because there are always people
willing to fight when government encroaches on what they consider their
liberties, and governments are always going to try to encroach. So the
balance struck depends on comparative strength. The American colonists
back in 1776 relied on citizen levies and weapons were so cheap and
simple that almost anyone could obtain them. Therefore government stayed
loose for a long time. But nowadays, who except a government can make
atomic bombs and space rockets? So we get absolute states."

* * * * *

Lancaster looked around, feeling the loneliness close in on him. The
driver was still clattering the coffee pot. The one-armed man was
utterly blank and expressionless. And Berg sat there, smiling, pouring
out those damnable cynicisms. Was it some kind of test? Were they
probing his loyalty? What kind of reply was expected?

"We're a democratic nation and you know it," he said. It came out more
feebly than he had thought.

"Oh, well, sure. This is just a state of emergency which has lasted
unusually long, seventy-two years to be exact. If we hadn't lost World
War III, and needed a powerful remilitarization to overthrow the Soviet
world--but we did." Berg took out a pack of cigarettes. "Smoke? I was
just trying to explain to you why the subversives are so dangerous. They
have to be, or they wouldn't stand any kind of chance. When you set out
to upset something as big as the United States government, it's an all
or nothing proposition. They've had a long time now to organize, and
there's a huge percentage of malcontents to help them out."

"Malcontents? Well, look, Berg--I mean, you're the expert and of course
you know your business, but a natural human grumble at conditions
doesn't mean revolutionary sentiments. These aren't such bad times.
People have work, and their needs are supplied. They aren't hankering to
have the Hemisphe