But it is not yet too late to shorten the interregnum which will follow. I do not say now that we can prevent the fall.
You said earlier that you could not prevent the destruction of Trantor hence, presumably, the fall – the so-called fall of the empire.Ī. (recovering somewhat) You contradict yourself. A Second Empire will rise, but between it and our civilization will be one thousand generations of suffering humanity. The Empire, gentlemen, as has just been said, has stood twelve thousand years. Psychohistory, which can predict the fall, can make statements concerning the succeeding dark ages. (a small voice in the middle of a vast silence) For ever?Ī. Interstellar wars will be endless interstellar trade will decay population will decline worlds will lose touch with the main body of the Galaxy – and so matters will remain. Its accumulated knowledge will decay and the order it has imposed will vanish. (firmly) The Empire will vanish and all its good with it. (uncertainly) We are not here, Dr Seldon, to lis–––Ī. Listen with the ears of psychohistory, and you will hear the creaking. The storm-blast whistles through the branches of the Empire even now. However, Mr Advocate, the rotten tree-trunk, until the very moment when the storm-blast breaks it in two, has all the appearance of might that it ever had. The appearance of strength is all about you. It it not obvious to anyone that the Empire is as strong as it ever was?Ī. It has been going on, as I have said, for centuries, and it is too majestic and a movement to stop. It is dictated by a rising bureaucracy, a receding initiative, a freezing of caste, a damming of curiosity – a hundred other factors. The fall of Empire, gentlemen, is a massive thing, however, and not easily fought. It is that state of anarchy which my project is pledged to fight. Even if the Empire were admitted to be a bad thing (an admission I do not make), the state of anarchy which would follow its fall would be worse.
It is a prediction which is made by mathematics. Without disrespect, I must claim a far better knowledge of it than any in this room.Ī. I am aware of the present status and the past history of the Empire. (theatrically) Do you realize, Dr Seldon, that you are speaking of an Empire that has stood for for twelve thousand years, through all the vicissitudes of the generations, and which has behind it the good wishes and love of a quadrillion human beings?Ī. I quote here from the first chapter when the scene is set and the famous Dr Seldon is questioned about his plans and has just mentioned the coming fall of the Empire: In these times it might be appropriate to use one of the major SF novels of all times to reframe the situation. The other weekend I reread Asimov‘s Foundation trilogy, one of the brilliant books that might have influenced me to work within the area of foresight.
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