Revolt in 2100
Encyclopedia
Revolt in 2100 is a 1953 collection by Robert A. Heinlein
and is part of his Future History
series.
The contents are as follows:
The short novel, "If This Goes On—", describes a rebellion against an American theocracy
and thus served as the vehicle for Heinlein to criticise the authoritarian potential of Protestant Christian fundamentalism. The work is not an attack on religion in general, however, as he has a Mormon
community take part in the anti-theocratic revolt. Heinlein rewrote the work for this appearance.
The short stories, "Coventry" and "Misfit", describe the succeeding secular liberal society from the point of view of characters who reject it.
Later paperback editions have paired Revolt in 2100 with Methuselah's Children
(ISBN 0-671-57780-8).
The afterword describes three stories which describe the beginning of the theocracy and subsequent beginnings of rebellion against it. "The Sound of His Wings" would have concerned a televangelist named Nehemiah Scudder who rides a populist
, racist wave of support to the Presidency. "Eclipse" describes the subsequent collapse of American society with particular emphasis on the withdrawal from space travel by the new regime. "The Stone Pillow" offers the rise of the rebellion which the protagonists of "If This Goes On-" later join; it is noteworthy that the Rebellion (styled the "Second American Revolution" in later stories of the Future History) includes Mormons
, Catholics, and Jews, groups suppressed by the Theocracy, working in concert with Freemasons
. Internal evidence of the series, particularly conversations in Methuselah's Children
and Time Enough For Love
place the Scudder election in the year 2012.
The character of Nehemiah Scudder, the "First Prophet" of the regime, appeared in Heinlein's first novel (never published in his lifetime), For Us, The Living
. He is also used in Spider Robinson's
Variable Star
, a novel based on an outline of Heinlein's. The novel borrows liberally from Heinlein's Future History, although it does not follow its timeline.
Reviewer Groff Conklin
described the Shasta edition as "a classic" and the lead story as "a smashing tale of revolution in the United States." Boucher
and McComas
, however, described the collection as "[i]mpressive in its time, and important in the development of modern science fiction," but found it highly uneven, "with pages worthy of the mature 1954 Heinlein . . . followed immediately by passages from the author's literary apprenticeship." P. Schuyler Miller
found Revolt in 2100 to be "a distinctly minor Heinlein contribution, . . . way below the mark Heinlein has set himself in his recent teen-age books."
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
and is part of his Future History
Future History
The Future History, by Robert A. Heinlein, describes a projected future of the human race from the middle of the 20th century through the early 23rd century. The term Future History was coined by John W. Campbell, Jr. in the February 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction...
series.
The contents are as follows:
- Foreword by Henry KuttnerHenry KuttnerHenry Kuttner was an American author of science fiction, fantasy and horror.-Early life:Henry Kuttner was born in Los Angeles, California in 1915...
, "The Innocent Eye" - "If This Goes On—" (1940; originally published in Astounding Science Fiction)
- "CoventryCoventry (short story)"Coventry" is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein and part of his Future History series. It was collected into the book Revolt in 2100.-Plot summary:The protagonist, David MacKinnon, is a romantic idealist up for trial for assault...
" (1940; originally published in Astounding Science Fiction) - "MisfitMisfit (short story)Misfit is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It was first published in the November 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction...
" (1939; originally published in Astounding Science Fiction) - Future History chart
- Afterword: "Concerning Stories Never Written"
The short novel, "If This Goes On—", describes a rebellion against an American theocracy
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
and thus served as the vehicle for Heinlein to criticise the authoritarian potential of Protestant Christian fundamentalism. The work is not an attack on religion in general, however, as he has a Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
community take part in the anti-theocratic revolt. Heinlein rewrote the work for this appearance.
The short stories, "Coventry" and "Misfit", describe the succeeding secular liberal society from the point of view of characters who reject it.
Later paperback editions have paired Revolt in 2100 with Methuselah's Children
Methuselah's Children
Methuselah's Children is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in the July, August, and September 1941 issues. It was expanded into a full-length novel in 1958....
(ISBN 0-671-57780-8).
The afterword describes three stories which describe the beginning of the theocracy and subsequent beginnings of rebellion against it. "The Sound of His Wings" would have concerned a televangelist named Nehemiah Scudder who rides a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
, racist wave of support to the Presidency. "Eclipse" describes the subsequent collapse of American society with particular emphasis on the withdrawal from space travel by the new regime. "The Stone Pillow" offers the rise of the rebellion which the protagonists of "If This Goes On-" later join; it is noteworthy that the Rebellion (styled the "Second American Revolution" in later stories of the Future History) includes Mormons
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
, Catholics, and Jews, groups suppressed by the Theocracy, working in concert with Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. Internal evidence of the series, particularly conversations in Methuselah's Children
Methuselah's Children
Methuselah's Children is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in the July, August, and September 1941 issues. It was expanded into a full-length novel in 1958....
and Time Enough For Love
Time Enough for Love
Time Enough for Love is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published in 1973. The work was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1973 and both the Hugo and Locus Awards in 1974.-Plot:...
place the Scudder election in the year 2012.
The character of Nehemiah Scudder, the "First Prophet" of the regime, appeared in Heinlein's first novel (never published in his lifetime), For Us, The Living
For Us, The Living: A Comedy of Customs
For Us, The Living: A Comedy of Customs is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, written in 1938 but published for the first time in 2003...
. He is also used in Spider Robinson's
Spider Robinson
Spider Robinson is an American-born Canadian Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction author.- Biography :Born in the Bronx, New York City, Robinson attended Catholic high school, spending his junior year in a seminary, followed by two years in a Catholic college, and five years at the State...
Variable Star
Variable Star
Variable Star is a 2006 novel written by Spider Robinson based on the surviving seven pages of an eight-page 1955 novel outline by the late Robert A. Heinlein. The book is set in a divergent offshoot of Heinlein's Future History and contains many references to works by Heinlein and other authors...
, a novel based on an outline of Heinlein's. The novel borrows liberally from Heinlein's Future History, although it does not follow its timeline.
Reviewer Groff Conklin
Groff Conklin
Edward Groff Conklin was a leading science fiction anthologist. He edited 40 anthologies of science fiction, one of mystery stories , wrote books on home improvement and was a freelance writer on scientific subjects as well as a published poet...
described the Shasta edition as "a classic" and the lead story as "a smashing tale of revolution in the United States." Boucher
Anthony Boucher
Anthony Boucher was an American science fiction editor and author of mystery novels and short stories. He was particularly influential as an editor. Between 1942 and 1947 he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle...
and McComas
J. Francis McComas
Jesse Francis McComas was an American science fiction editor. McComas wrote several stories on his own in the 1950s using both his own name and the pseudonym Webb Marlowe....
, however, described the collection as "[i]mpressive in its time, and important in the development of modern science fiction," but found it highly uneven, "with pages worthy of the mature 1954 Heinlein . . . followed immediately by passages from the author's literary apprenticeship." P. Schuyler Miller
P. Schuyler Miller
Peter Schuyler Miller was an American science fiction writer and critic.-Life:Miller was raised in New York's Mohawk Valley, which led to a life-long interest in the Iroquois Indians. He pursued this as an amateur archaeologist and a member of the New York State Archaeological Association.He...
found Revolt in 2100 to be "a distinctly minor Heinlein contribution, . . . way below the mark Heinlein has set himself in his recent teen-age books."
See also
- Political ideas in science fictionPolitical ideas in science fictionThe exploration of politics in science fiction is arguably older than the identification of the genre. One of the earliest works of modern science fiction, H. G...
- Religious ideas in science fictionReligious ideas in science fictionScience fiction works often present explanations, commentary or use religious themes to convey a broader message. The use of religious themes in the SF genre varies from refutations of religion as primitive or unscientific, to creative explanations and new insights into religious experience and...