When the war is over

What happens to the research and development after the war? The military drive of the wars in Europe, the conquests of colonies and hot and cold wars of the 20th century drove and drive our current high tech world. How does Merlin keep the focus and growth going when there aren't any bad guys visible (the Gaba aren't there). People being what they are going to want to relax and enjoy life not fight, claw and scratch to invent the next level. Will there still be growth, yes, but Merlin needs screaming levels of commitment that many will not want to give.

Hi Barron,

Welcome to the forums!

Enjoy your favorite beverage on the forum.

The current war will not be the last by far.

We'll have an attempt to ostensibly restore the CoGA, but primarily just the former powers of Harchong, Desnar etc trying to turn back the clock and failing miserably, followed by an even worse religious war when the inner circle is revealed, which may be complicated by the archangels showing up in the middle of it.

There will be quite a bit of innovation to adapt the steam engine and explosives, etc to farming, terraforming and the other neglected industries during the war, so there will be plenty of exciting research to do.

Theoretically after the Rakurai have been dealt with, Charis alone could do all the research into space etc, but that's not how RFC's going to do it.

L

Barron wrote:What happens to the research and development after the war? The military drive of the wars in Europe, the conquests of colonies and hot and cold wars of the 20th century drove and drive our current high tech world. How does Merlin keep the focus and growth going when there aren't any bad guys visible (the Gaba aren't there). People being what they are going to want to relax and enjoy life not fight, claw and scratch to invent the next level. Will there still be growth, yes, but Merlin needs screaming levels of commitment that many will not want to give.

While I agree this conflict will not end easily I don't see a driving force to keep the research at needed levels. With the advantages already started none of the states you mentioned will have the tech or the ability to create a tech challenge to Charis. When Charis is firmly in the power seat its people are going to want some kind or return to "Normal" ways that allow them to return to a less frantic life and spend money, including taxes, on things other than war. I believe David Weber is a great student of history and will deal with how Charis avoids Rome's great fall to bread and circuses.

lyonheart wrote:Hi Barron,

Welcome to the forums!

Enjoy your favorite beverage on the forum.

The current war will not be the last by far.

We'll have an attempt to ostensibly restore the CoGA, but primarily just the former powers of Harchong, Desnar etc trying to turn back the clock and failing miserably, followed by an even worse religious war when the inner circle is revealed, which may be complicated by the archangels showing up in the middle of it.

There will be quite a bit of innovation to adapt the steam engine and explosives, etc to farming, terraforming and the other neglected industries during the war, so there will be plenty of exciting research to do.

Theoretically after the Rakurai have been dealt with, Charis alone could do all the research into space etc, but that's not how RFC's going to do it.

L

Barron wrote:What happens to the research and development after the war? The military drive of the wars in Europe, the conquests of colonies and hot and cold wars of the 20th century drove and drive our current high tech world. How does Merlin keep the focus and growth going when there aren't any bad guys visible (the Gaba aren't there). People being what they are going to want to relax and enjoy life not fight, claw and scratch to invent the next level. Will there still be growth, yes, but Merlin needs screaming levels of commitment that many will not want to give.

Barron wrote:While I agree this conflict will not end easily I don't see a driving force to keep the research at needed levels. With the advantages already started none of the states you mentioned will have the tech or the ability to create a tech challenge to Charis. When Charis is firmly in the power seat its people are going to want some kind or return to "Normal" ways that allow them to return to a less frantic life and spend money, including taxes, on things other than war. I believe David Weber is a great student of history and will deal with how Charis avoids Rome's great fall to bread and circuses.

G'Day Barron,

"Normal" in our world includes such things as cold wars (i.e. USSR verse NATO), subversive wars (Stuxnet?), espionage (i.e. the NSA spying on the German chancellor), commercial wars (tarifs), etc.

So even if there is no fighting, there will always be some kind of conflict to promote R&D.


And that's ignoring the "keeping up with the Jones's" effect that happens even amongst friends.....

I think Barron is assuming that Charis will be "so firmly in the power seat" that nobody will catch up.

I don't think that works in the real world and based on the Honorverse IMO David Weber won't write it happening in the Safehold series.

As for what will happen, while Barron is somewhat correct that there will be people in Charis wanting to "sit back and relax", I doubt that the Inner Circle and the monarch (even after the current ones have died) will be among them.

Since the monarch controls the Silverlock "treasure chest", she/he will have the money to push research which will lead to "new goodies" for Charis industry to produce.

Outside of Charis, I agree that plenty of nations/organizations will be looking for ways to match or surpass Charis's technology.

Some may not be able to even come close but others (like Siddarmark) may give Charis "a run for the money".

Oh I won't be surprised if Merlin and Nimue quietly give Charis's rivals a few hints.

While Merlin and Nimue don't want to see Charis destroyed, they do want Safehold to get into the habit of challenging current technological/scientific limits.

Final note, Charis isn't (and IMO won't be) in the position of being so powerful that they could prevent people outside of Charis from challenging Charis's technological lead.

MWadwell wrote:

Barron wrote:While I agree this conflict will not end easily I don't see a driving force to keep the research at needed levels. With the advantages already started none of the states you mentioned will have the tech or the ability to create a tech challenge to Charis. When Charis is firmly in the power seat its people are going to want some kind or return to "Normal" ways that allow them to return to a less frantic life and spend money, including taxes, on things other than war. I believe David Weber is a great student of history and will deal with how Charis avoids Rome's great fall to bread and circuses.

G'Day Barron,

"Normal" in our world includes such things as cold wars (i.e. USSR verse NATO), subversive wars (Stuxnet?), espionage (i.e. the NSA spying on the German chancellor), commercial wars (tarifs), etc.

So even if there is no fighting, there will always be some kind of conflict to promote R&D.


And that's ignoring the "keeping up with the Jones's" effect that happens even amongst friends.....

Follow up, even if Old Charis wants to "sit back and relax", I strongly suspect that Princess Irys and her heirs will be pushing Corisande into "taking up the slack".

Besides her own interest in such matters, the people of Corisande (even in a friendly way) would love to surpass Old Charis.

DrakBibliophile wrote:Follow up, even if Old Charis wants to "sit back and relax", I strongly suspect that Princess Irys and her heirs will be pushing Corisande into "taking up the slack".

Besides her own interest in such matters, the people of Corisande (even in a friendly way) would love to surpass Old Charis.

Intra-empire competition will be significant and Corisande looks to be the odd Kingdom out in a (hopefully) mild sort of way. One can envision all sorts of jokes in Chisholm and Old Charis with Corisande as the butt.

I agree that the Corisandian Campus of the Imperial College will be up and running soon enough to help push any slack. Irys will also use some of the Ahrmahk fortune to build the Manchyr Steel works. I am sure that Howsmyn is stretched thin with his other expansion sites and would appreciate the additional investment. Unfortunately, Irys might have to settle for a higher number of female supervisors in her plant. The qualified male supervisors having been assigned to the other site, don't ya know.

I can just see Irys' commercial coffee clatch drinking tea and coffee knitting or doing needle point while they discuss steel output and the bottlenecks for 6" armour production.

Hmm, not to mention the Religious wars currently flaring since 9/11/01 and before. One wonders why we can't get along but, then most religions have a my way or the highway attitude that discourages religious tolerance, sigh.

Poker

Nod.

For that matter, for all the "stick in the mud" Nobles in Chisholm, Chisholm itself can join the "we can do better than Old Charis" camp.

There has already been text evidence for a "we don't want to be second-rate compared on Old Charis" mindset in Chisholm.

PeterZ wrote:

DrakBibliophile wrote:Follow up, even if Old Charis wants to "sit back and relax", I strongly suspect that Princess Irys and her heirs will be pushing Corisande into "taking up the slack".

Besides her own interest in such matters, the people of Corisande (even in a friendly way) would love to surpass Old Charis.

Intra-empire competition will be significant and Corisande looks to be the odd Kingdom out in a (hopefully) mild sort of way. One can envision all sorts of jokes in Chisholm and Old Charis with Corisande as the butt.

I agree that the Corisandian Campus of the Imperial College will be up and running soon enough to help push any slack. Irys will also use some of the Ahrmahk fortune to build the Manchyr Steel works. I am sure that Howsmyn is stretched thin with his other expansion sites and would appreciate the additional investment. Unfortunately, Irys might have to settle for a higher number of female supervisors in her plant. The qualified male supervisors having been assigned to the other site, don't ya know.

I can just see Irys' commercial coffee clatch drinking tea and coffee knitting or doing needle point while they discuss steel output and the bottlenecks for 6" armour production.

=2014/04/10=

Hi peterZ

You said (in part)


I can just see Irys' commercial coffee clatch drinking tea and coffee knitting or doing needle point while they discuss steel output and the bottlenecks for 6" armour production.

I LOVE your word-picture !!!

R
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