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I was watching Stargate tonight and it hit me – almost every planet they come across that has been liberated, or abandoned at some stage or another and is now run by the Taree inhabiting it has distinct political structures.
I can’t prove this theory by the way, and I really don’t have the desire or the energy to do so, thats why I’m putting this out to you guys:
There tends to always be a council with which the SG-1 team confer, with no immediately apparently leader.
At first I thought perhaps it was a kind of faux democratic thing going on, kind of representative democracy but with weird intricacies. But on further thought, it seems more like an oligarchy, but generally with socialist, even communist undertones.As far as I can recall, the majority of these communities had no founding in capitalism, more often than not, they are communal with a council directing the population.
i dont know, like I said, I could be wrong.
But if I’m not, what is that saying? I was reading some stuff for uni a few months back, about how a lot of the time, sci fi fantasy is based around a fascist governmental system. I can’t remember why this is, I can’t even remember where I read it. But, I wonder if the writers of Stargate have issues with capitalism, or simply with liberal democracy. Which would be kinda strange, because as much as I can figure, not believing that liberal dem., capitalism and individual rights and freedom is almost a felony in the States.
But then again, these communities are usually found to be flawed in some way – it could possibly be re-affirming the capitalist ideal. I mean, SG-1 always end up saving these people, thus they must be superior in some way?
The Facism primarily is Heinlein imo. Starship Troopers is the perfect example of this if you’ve never read his books and want to pick up a movie.
As for Stargate, I blame the writing. It’s hard to be thorough about every aspect of the cultures they meet, but one thing is for sure, they never really explain economic systems. Many seem to be communal like you said. I wouldn’t go as far as to say Communist (except maybe that world where everyone works underground).
I’ve always let out a lil chuckle, like the episode last night. You have an entire race of religious fanatics, yet the “priests” haven’t taken over yet. Power is still shared equally between the “Mayor” for lack of a better word and the “Head Priest” who interpets everything their God tells them. Yet in all that time they never turned power over to the Church? Yeah riiiight.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the stuff. But maybe sometimes they should be a little more honest about human behavior. Races like those druidic people that create illusions, yikes!!
As for the subliminal stuff, I wouldn’t be surprised. There’s always an agenda, even if it’s as simple as “Buy our Product”.
Hell there was that Superman comic where Superman explains that Democracy is the only proper way to live and then to prove his point he takes all the nuclear weapons on Earth and hurtles them into space. I think they even made a movie out of that one!
sorry, i forgot to mention that I’m a few episodes behind. apparently the southern hemisphere is unable to get the same shows at the same time as the northern hemisphere.
the episode i was talking about was the one before ‘Lifeboat’.
i cant’ remember what it was called, but the story was that the community lived in a bubble in the middle of a wasteland planet.meanwhile, the lifeboat episode, where daniel gets all those voices in his head – all the personalities of the crashed ship – their system was of a sovereign… of course, called a sovereign.
do you think maybe it gets a little difficult every week to come up with names for things? and why does every planet the go to always have as their primary language english?
it’s a wonder i dont get hugely frustrated with this show/
Jennicide wrote:sorry, i forgot to mention that I’m a few episodes behind. apparently the southern hemisphere is unable to get the same shows at the same time as the northern hemisphere.
Ack! Sorry, didn’t mean to spoil anything. 😳
and why does every planet the go to always have as their primary language english?
Now *THAT* is the million dollar question! I’ve wondered that as well, especially since the bother to explain “Sir! These people come from Ancient Greece/Egypt/Sumer/Disneyland, but somehow their evolution produced English!”
okay I added that last part!
but you’re right.
even the ‘alien’ looking creatures speak english
even the go’uld (cant spell?) speak english!
i guess its just for ease of communication, because if i remember correctly, there was one episode a few seasons back where the people didnt speak english (if i remember enough, i dont think they spoke at all?) and there were far too many difficulties in trying to get the point accross. the issue was with the flying camera thingie they send in to new planets. it had knocked over some mushroom thing which prduced a noise or vibrations or whatever which regulated the people somehow. so these people were keeling over and they couldn’t figure out why.
even so.. they could give some explaination – even if they made up some really lame excuse like the asgard give them some technology which allows them to translate different languages instantly – it’s a tried and true sci fi method why mess with tradition?
fair enough, some might develop languages similar to english – but all of them? thats pushing it i think.
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