The Weapon Shops of Isher (A.E. van Vogt)

Another break from current events, to talk about the political philosophy of weapons, something totally unrelated to the present moment. (The written version of this review was first published February 16, 2017. Written versions are available here.)

"The right to be armed is the right to be free! This call, like the battle cry of the Archangel Michael, Who is like God?!, echoes down the ages of Man. If you are not armed, you are always wholly at the mercy of tyrants. Who can argue with such a truism? A lot of people, actually. For the phrase does not, in fact, echo down the ages of Man. It dates only to 1941, when this book, a now obscure science fiction classic, was first published—and the principle itself is not much older. So, rather than making this review the pro-weapons screed my (few) readers doubtless expect, I will explore the principle itself—in particular its limitations within a conservative philosophical framework." . . .