The Shape of Things to Come

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The Shape of Things to Come is a 1933 work by HG Wells . The novel is a fictional history book from the year 2106. In it, the author considers the contemporary history of his then present and speculates about the development of the world up to the year 2106.

description

Wells has woven a framework story around the book at the meta-level by claiming the book was the compiled version of true records of an important diplomat, Dr. Philip Raven, who had visions of a history book that would not be published until 2106 (see: Editor's Fiction ).

Wells' belief in a world government that can solve the problems of humanity shines through in the book . Wells correctly predicted the outbreak of World War II , but the end of it was not set for the 1960s and assumed that it could only end with an epidemic that would destroy almost all civilization. Wells also foresees a “benevolent dictatorship ” - “The Dictatorship of the Air”. This dictatorship, which would consist of the mighty transport systems that had survived the catastrophe (these mighty ones would be the only ones who still had global power), would

  1. promote science,
  2. Propagate Basic English as a lingua franca ,
  3. exterminate all religion ,
  4. pave the way for the world to become a peaceful utopia .

Disapproved political opponents who had to be eliminated would have a chance to imitate the old philosophers Socrates and Seneca the Younger and to take a poison pill in a comfortable environment.

Finally, after a century of reshaping humanity, the dictatorship would be overthrown in a bloodless coup, and previous rulers would be sent into well-deserved retirement. The world government would "shrink away". The last part of the book is a detailed description of the utopian world one would feel as it dawned; this is reminiscent of Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward .

Predictions

Polish corridor as the starting point for a Second World War

As early as the early 1930s and before Hitler came to power, Wells rightly criticized the Polish Corridor as one of the future causes of the Second World War :

“In order to keep the water of the Vistula as pure and sweet for Poland as the existence of Danzig at the mouth allowed, the peacemakers did not place the Vistula border between Poland and East Prussia in the middle of the river as usual, but a little inland on the East Prussian side ( Jacques Kayser, La Paix en Péril, 1931 ). So that the East German population, the farmer, the fisherman, the shepherd who wants to lead his flock to water, was stopped by a row of border posts and a Polish rifle within sight of the river.

Within a dozen years of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles , the Polish Corridor was clearly the most dangerous factor in the European situation. He mocked any prospect of disarmament. He pointed the hypnotized and powerless statecraft of Europe directly to the continuation of the war. "

And to keep the waters of the Vistula as pure and sweet for Poland as the existence of Danzig at the estuary allowed, the peace-makers ran the Vistula boundary between Poland and east Prussia, not in the usual fashion midway along the stream, but at a little distance on the east Prussian side (Jacques Kayser, La Paix en Péril, 1931). So that the east German population, the peasant cultivator, the erstwhile fisherman, the shepherd with his flocks to water, was pulled up by a line of frontier posts and a Polish rifle within sight of the stream.

Within a dozen years of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles the Polish Corridor was plainly the most dangerous factor in the European situation. It mocked every projection of disarmament. It pointed the hypnotized and impotent statescraft of Europe straight towards a resumption of war.

Missile launched by submarines

Wells' book makes an exact prediction of missiles that will be fired from submarines (see submarine with cruise missiles / submarine with ballistic missiles ). These are assigned a crucial role during the Cold War . Although the warheads, which he called “air torpedoes,” are prophesied chemically rather than atomically, Wells saw the strategic merits of combining submarine weapons of mass destruction long before military leaders.

The relevant passage (chapter 4 of the second book): “The raider submarines were specially designed as long-distance bases for gas warfare. They carried no guns nor ordinary fighting equipment. They had practically unlimited cruising range, and within them from five to nine airplanes were packed with a formidable supply of gas bombs. One of them carried thirty long-range air torpedoes with all the necessary directional apparatus. […] The smallest of these raiders carried enough of such stuff to 'prepare' [glossing over in the OT] about eight hundred square miles of territory. Completely successful, it could have turned the most of the London or New York of that time, after some clamor and running and writhing and choking, into a cityful of distorted corpses. These vessels made London vulnerable from Japan, Tokyo vulnerable from Dublin; they abolished the last corners of safety in the world. "

“The robber submarines were specially designed as long-range bases for gas warfare. They carried no artillery, no normal combat equipment. They had practically unlimited range of travel, and from them five to nine planes were loaded with a huge supply of gas bombs. One carried thirty long-range air torpedoes with all the necessary guidance systems. […] The smallest of these robbers had enough material to 'work' an area of ​​about eight hundred square miles [glossing over in the OT]. Had it been completely successful, it would have turned almost all of London or New York at that time, after some commotion, running, suffering and struggling for breath into a city full of distorted corpses. These companions made London vulnerable from Japan, Tokyo vulnerable from Dublin, they eliminated the last safe corners of the world. " 

Just as he foresaw the use of submarines, Wells also correctly foresaw that these frightening weapons would not really be used exhaustively, but rather serve to deter the different powers from one another (see: Mutual assured destruction).

Adaptations

  • What is to come (Things to Come), a science fiction film directed by William Cameron Menzies from the year 1936th
  • Delta III (The Shape of Things to Come), 1979, a science fiction film that is very loosely based on the original.

Remarks

  1. ↑ Translation by User: Matt Head
  2. ^ Translation by Wikipedia

Web links