TAKE BACK YOUR GOVERNMENT

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book, but get rid of Pournelle
Review: As a Heinlein fan, I thought that I had read all his published work, and was saddened to think that there was nothing left. So I was delighted to find this book on Amazon, immediately ordered it, and just finished reading it.

As a book of practical advice, instead of entertainment, it will probably never achieve the popularity of any of his fictional works. However, if you have enjoyed these, not just for their plots and scope, but also for their philosophical and political musings; if you have been inspired by his optimism and his faith in the basic decency of his fellow men; and most of all, if you would like to apply that optimism to the world around you, then this book is by all means for you.

However.

If you can find a copy without Pournelle's introduction and notes, buy that instead. If you must buy this version, try not to let his views get you down. Before reading this book, I had nothing against Jerry Pournelle- in fact, I had read, and quite enjoyed, some of his SF work. So I was very dissappointed to find that here, not only does Pournelle fill his comments with his own political views, something Heinlein is meticulously careful to aviod throughout the book, but he also contradicts the entire message of the book. Heinlein cries "Take Back Your Government!"; Pournelle tells us that this is obsolete, that things have changed, that it's too hard, it's no good to bother. At first I thought that Pournelle was one of the cynics that Heinlein was arguing against. But rereading his comments, I found that I was being too harsh. Pournelle genuinely likes, and supports, what Heinlein said- he just doesn't think that it would work. Not today, at least. Ironically, on pages 175-176, Heinlein describes this attitude, calling it that of the "tired liberal":

"[The tired liberal], like Mrs. Much-Married, has been there so often the thrill is gone. He knows the frailty of human nature -- and that's all he knows. He would like to see you win -- but you won't, you know."

And what does Heinlein advise when confronted with such a character?

"Use the stamp-licking routine on him. After a bit he will go back to his ivory tower and let the grown-ups get on with the work."

Granted, as Pournelle says, the world has changed a lot in the more than 50 years since Heinlein wrote this. His outdated comments on copy machines are only matched by his outdated comments on women. To his credit, these views changed with the years. But neither of them makes the core of this book obsolete.

Certainly, if Heinlein were writing today, he'd have to adapt his methods. But I think that he would have found computers, the internet, copy machines and the like a wonderful boon to his style of campaigning. Yes, there is more money in politics today than ever, even local politics, but that only increases the need for a book like this.

If you are interested in the world around you and want to do more than just complain about the things that are wrong, if you want to see how you can actually make a difference, then read this book.

And then, if you want to settle back in your chair and start complaining again, you can always read Pournelle's comments and agree with his closing, pessimistic remark that "One could only wish that his [Heinlein's] advice had been taken before we lost control of the political process."

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book, but get rid of Pournelle
Review: As a Heinlein fan, I thought that I had read all his published work, and was saddened to think that there was nothing left. So I was delighted to find this book on Amazon, immediately ordered it, and just finished reading it.

As a book of practical advice, instead of entertainment, it will probably never achieve the popularity of any of his fictional works. However, if you have enjoyed these, not just for their plots and scope, but also for their philosophical and political musings; if you have been inspired by his optimism and his faith in the basic decency of his fellow men; and most of all, if you would like to apply that optimism to the world around you, then this book is by all means for you.

However.

If you can find a copy without Pournelle's introduction and notes, buy that instead. If you must buy this version, try not to let his views get you down. Before reading this book, I had nothing against Jerry Pournelle- in fact, I had read, and quite enjoyed, some of his SF work. So I was very dissappointed to find that here, not only does Pournelle fill his comments with his own political views, something Heinlein is meticulously careful to aviod throughout the book, but he also contradicts the entire message of the book. Heinlein cries "Take Back Your Government!"; Pournelle tells us that this is obsolete, that things have changed, that it's too hard, it's no good to bother. At first I thought that Pournelle was one of the cynics that Heinlein was arguing against. But rereading his comments, I found that I was being too harsh. Pournelle genuinely likes, and supports, what Heinlein said- he just doesn't think that it would work. Not today, at least. Ironically, on pages 175-176, Heinlein describes this attitude, calling it that of the "tired liberal":

"[The tired liberal], like Mrs. Much-Married, has been there so often the thrill is gone. He knows the frailty of human nature -- and that's all he knows. He would like to see you win -- but you won't, you know."

And what does Heinlein advise when confronted with such a character?

"Use the stamp-licking routine on him. After a bit he will go back to his ivory tower and let the grown-ups get on with the work."

Granted, as Pournelle says, the world has changed a lot in the more than 50 years since Heinlein wrote this. His outdated comments on copy machines are only matched by his outdated comments on women. To his credit, these views changed with the years. But neither of them makes the core of this book obsolete.

Certainly, if Heinlein were writing today, he'd have to adapt his methods. But I think that he would have found computers, the internet, copy machines and the like a wonderful boon to his style of campaigning. Yes, there is more money in politics today than ever, even local politics, but that only increases the need for a book like this.

If you are interested in the world around you and want to do more than just complain about the things that are wrong, if you want to see how you can actually make a difference, then read this book.

And then, if you want to settle back in your chair and start complaining again, you can always read Pournelle's comments and agree with his closing, pessimistic remark that "One could only wish that his [Heinlein's] advice had been taken before we lost control of the political process."

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Heinlein Polemic
Review: Book Review by C. Douglas Baker

Hardcore Heinlein fans will find Take Back Your Government to be an engaging monologue on democracy and American government. Take Back Your Government, as the title suggests, is a polemic, albeit a light-hearted one, about the importance of participation in a democratic system of government. Heinlein often states that if people do not participate in democracy, then they cannot complain about the corruption and malfeasance of their government. He strongly asserts that people participating in politics does matter. Heinlein's key message is that democracy can only survive if citizens participate and take responsibility for their government. He conveys substantial anecdotal evidence where one ordinary person or groups of people, participating in politics, made a difference. Without citizen participation, government becomes atrophied both morally and effectually.

Although written in 1947 and a bit out-of-date, one of the basic premises of the book, that local government matters and is the place to start if you are interested in politics, still holds true today. The book is filled with Heinlein's witticisms and conjectures about the democratic political process. One can find little fault with the facts and opinions Heinlein expresses vis a vis local politics at mid-century. Those familiar with academic literature on urban machines, the reform movement, and local politics will find Heinlein's analysis both accurate and humorous. The only time I found Heinlein's analysis to be questionable was in his too optimistic outlook for the possibility and efficacy of starting a third political party in the United States. History and precedent suggest that third parties are greatly disadvantaged in the American system of government for reasons too numerous to examine here. Probably the most enjoyable chapter is the second to last entitled "Footnotes on Democracy". Therein, Heinlein maintains that if the United State's did not have any Communists "we would almost be forced to create some". He goes on to aver:

"any social field or group in which Communists make real strides in gaining members or acceptance of their doctrines...is in bad shape from real and not imaginary social ills [and] the rest of us should take emergency, drastic action to investigate and correct the trouble. Unfortunately we are more prone to ignore the sick spot thus disclosed and content ourselves with calling out more cops (pages 223-224)."

Maybe Heinlein is not quite the authoritarian his detractors would have us believe.

Heinlein also has some interesting insights on the role of lawyers in politics that ring true today. Specifically, he notes about the creation of laws: "[lawyers] assert that their special language is necessary, as ordinary speech is not sufficiently exact...[yet] lawyers are forever disputing as to what a law means after they have written it" (page 225). These are just a few examples of Heinlein's clever analysis of American politics.

Take Back Your Government was published, I assume, mainly for fans of Robert A. Heinlein. I doubt non-Heinlein fans would find the book particularly interesting. The book, from an academic standpoint, is pedestrian and dated. Therefore, the audience most likely to enjoy this book are those who have some interest in Heinlein's works.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Heinlein Polemic
Review: Book Review by C. Douglas Baker

Hardcore Heinlein fans will find Take Back Your Government to be an engaging monologue on democracy and American government. Take Back Your Government, as the title suggests, is a polemic, albeit a light-hearted one, about the importance of participation in a democratic system of government. Heinlein often states that if people do not participate in democracy, then they cannot complain about the corruption and malfeasance of their government. He strongly asserts that people participating in politics does matter. Heinlein's key message is that democracy can only survive if citizens participate and take responsibility for their government. He conveys substantial anecdotal evidence where one ordinary person or groups of people, participating in politics, made a difference. Without citizen participation, government becomes atrophied both morally and effectually.

Although written in 1947 and a bit out-of-date, one of the basic premises of the book, that local government matters and is the place to start if you are interested in politics, still holds true today. The book is filled with Heinlein's witticisms and conjectures about the democratic political process. One can find little fault with the facts and opinions Heinlein expresses vis a vis local politics at mid-century. Those familiar with academic literature on urban machines, the reform movement, and local politics will find Heinlein's analysis both accurate and humorous. The only time I found Heinlein's analysis to be questionable was in his too optimistic outlook for the possibility and efficacy of starting a third political party in the United States. History and precedent suggest that third parties are greatly disadvantaged in the American system of government for reasons too numerous to examine here. Probably the most enjoyable chapter is the second to last entitled "Footnotes on Democracy". Therein, Heinlein maintains that if the United State's did not have any Communists "we would almost be forced to create some". He goes on to aver:

"any social field or group in which Communists make real strides in gaining members or acceptance of their doctrines...is in bad shape from real and not imaginary social ills [and] the rest of us should take emergency, drastic action to investigate and correct the trouble. Unfortunately we are more prone to ignore the sick spot thus disclosed and content ourselves with calling out more cops (pages 223-224)."

Maybe Heinlein is not quite the authoritarian his detractors would have us believe.

Heinlein also has some interesting insights on the role of lawyers in politics that ring true today. Specifically, he notes about the creation of laws: "[lawyers] assert that their special language is necessary, as ordinary speech is not sufficiently exact...[yet] lawyers are forever disputing as to what a law means after they have written it" (page 225). These are just a few examples of Heinlein's clever analysis of American politics.

Take Back Your Government was published, I assume, mainly for fans of Robert A. Heinlein. I doubt non-Heinlein fans would find the book particularly interesting. The book, from an academic standpoint, is pedestrian and dated. Therefore, the audience most likely to enjoy this book are those who have some interest in Heinlein's works.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Unlike most political books, which either place a huge reliance on your knowledge of current events/history, or go into such abstract concepts that leave the reader baffled, or are simply just too wordy, this book is for the layman: consise, easy to read, and rapid fire enough to be engaging. For the average joe who is up in arms over the election of ____ (fill in whichever politician you hate most), it offers an insightful view of what to do next. Too bad the price is so high, I think it should be out there for more people to have ready access to.

Rating:
Summary: Heinlein the Original Political Incorrectster
Review: Whew! Look what those "Take Back Your Government" books are fetching these days. I should take better care of that paperback I bought for five bucks a decade or so ago.
Heinlein never pulled punches and seemed to have a conservative bent. He did in fact foresee the collapse of Soviet communism years before it happened. He was quite a political activist as a young man and has some interesting anecdotes to tell. What is most memorable about the book, I thought, was his absolutely scorching comments on the American elderly. He called them a pack of greedy, selfish, step-on-their-children's-faces gimme gimme gimme coots, and that's just his warm-up. And this before Social Security had thoroughly infiltrated society as an entitlement!
Blunt stuff from a more honest age. I think some of his advice would still be practicable, too.

Rating:
Summary: Heinlein the Original Political Incorrectster
Review: Whew! Look what those "Take Back Your Government" books are fetching these days. I should take better care of that paperback I bought for five bucks a decade or so ago.
Heinlein never pulled punches and seemed to have a conservative bent. He did in fact foresee the collapse of Soviet communism years before it happened. He was quite a political activist as a young man and has some interesting anecdotes to tell. What is most memorable about the book, I thought, was his absolutely scorching comments on the American elderly. He called them a pack of greedy, selfish, step-on-their-children's-faces gimme gimme gimme coots, and that's just his warm-up. And this before Social Security had thoroughly infiltrated society as an entitlement!
Blunt stuff from a more honest age. I think some of his advice would still be practicable, too.