Trying to identify a scifi short story, possibly from the golden age, where all citizens carry sidearm weapons. Everyone is super-polite because it is legal and accepted to challenge another citizen to a duel to the death at any perceived slight or unresolvable dispute. Anyone not carrying a sidearm (e.g. children, the elderly, infirm, pacifists etc.) not therefore being able to defend themselves have to defer utterly to true citizens. Any ideas?
3
-
3Is it called the United States of America?– thegreatjediJan 28, 2016 at 23:51
-
@thegreatjedi :: hears crickets chirping in the distance ::– Mr PieFeb 26, 2018 at 23:51
-
probably the same as scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/226530/… (which is newer but has an accepted answer)– OtisJan 28, 2020 at 4:47
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
It's a novel rather than a short story, but that sounds exactly like Beyond this Horizon by Robert Heinlein.
The novel depicts a world where genetic selection for increased health, longevity, and intelligence has become so widespread that the unmodified 'control naturals' are a carefully managed and protected minority. Dueling and the carrying of arms is a socially accepted way of maintaining civility in public; a man can wear distinctive clothing to show his unwillingness to duel, but this results in a lower social status.
This novel is also the source of the quote "An armed society is a polite society"
-
3Heinlein has several novels taking place in this world, for example "I will fear no evil" Aug 8, 2014 at 17:30
-
@BarafuAlbino: No, "I Will Fear No Evil" is not set in the same universe as Beyond this Horizon.– user2490Aug 9, 2014 at 6:04
-
Possibly. But has the same society organization and that is what matters in this case. Aug 9, 2014 at 7:01
-
@BarafuAlbino & Ben Crowell "Number of the Beast" has references to this as well if I remember correctly. It is been many years since I read that one... I could be wrong.– TonnyAug 9, 2014 at 10:14
-
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, also by Heinlein, has overtones of this also: tossing someone out an airlock for being rude is not unknown in the moon, and there are no codified laws, so "mob rule" has a similar effect to everyone being armed (in the story). Sep 2, 2015 at 12:07
L. Neil Smith has a book called "The Probability Broach". In it, a parallel Earth that's a libertarian utopia works the way you describe.
