Quote:ECS, this is a long-running, time-honored plot tradition you're talking about, found in many other stories spanning decades. I say this so that you don't misinterpret me- your point is valid, though I politely, respectlessly disagree with your belief that this is a *bad* thing.
It shows frequently in their writing, and they have a tendency to vilify socialism in all its forms as a political philosophy.
The Peoples' Republic Of Haven, for example, is explicitly the United States of America after a lengthy period of rule by the Democratic Party.
That said, the Honorverse is almost entirely an SF-version of late 18th century- early 19th century Europe. It's a retelling of C.S. Forester's _Horatio Hornblower_ stories- originally set in the Napoleonic Wars. Britain is Manticore (Queen Elizabeth III- really!), while the Andermani are Germany. "Asgard" and "Midgard", minor star nations, draw their names from Norse mythology- I'd call them the new Scandinavia.
As for Haven? Haven began as post-Revolutionary France- similar to the U.S. in many respects, as the French Revolution originally patterned itself to some degree off of ours. After a few centuries, it became the system seen in the earlier novels (which occupies the same place, historically, as Napoleonic France (main adversary to the British/Manticorans)). I'd guess that the "People's Republic" part of it is either a dig at modern France or China (given the size of the PN and its technology problems). Then, you have the Committee of Public Safety- who appeared in the French Revolution. It's led by Rob Pierre- Rob S. Pierre, where the original was led by a Frenchman named Robespierre. Oscar Saint-Just was one of the major Committee members- the original Committee had a man named Louis de Saint-Just in the inner circle. The capital of Haven is Nouveau Paris.
I've heard that some of the later incarnations of Haven, after their original constitution is restored, resemble the U.S., but by that time, they're no longer the main enemy- in fact, they're being protrayed as noble types, kind of like how we Americans used to think of our Founding Fathers.
Sorry about all that- you impugned my Honor, and I had to clear it. It's just that I have a hard time dealing with people reading political motives into things that didn't have them- or, at least, had a different set. Politics is bad enough already- why look for it in new and different places when you don't have to?
Also, _Horatio Hornblower_ is a really good series of books, and I figured that anything that brings it up is probably worth it.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.