Legend of the Galactic Heroes is my favorite anti-authoritarian story because it indulges in the fantasy of the benevolent dictator.
Authoritarianism is, more often than not, depicted as this indisputably evil institution that is so glaringly nefarious that any reasonable person would know to fight against it. That makes for a good story, but it fails to recognize why anyone would want an authoritarian government to begin with.
LOGH has Reinhard, who declares he will seize the galaxy in his hands and remake it in his own image. His image is genuinely just. He wants to make life in the empire better. He wants a more equitable society. He wants to do good. On the surface, he succeeds at doing just that. By the time the story ends, Reinhard has reinvented society and improved the lives of billions of people. All of this is in stark contrast to the empire’s biggest enemy.
The Free Planets Alliance is a democracy quickly crumbling under the weight of corruption and the rise of fascism. It’s increasingly chaotic, and its violence is often inflicted onto the civilians living within it. At many times, it feels more unjust to live in the FPA than in the goddamn authoritarian regime just across the milky way.
The contrast between the empire and the FPA clearly shows what the allure of a dictatorship is. LOGH understands that under societal duress, we want one all-powerful person to swoop in and save us. We want things fixed now, no matter the cost.
The more Reinhard exerts his power to improve the empire, the more we wish that someone in the FPA could also be given that kind of unrestrained authority. We know who exactly in the FPA could make the world better, and we watch them time and time again be screwed over by the powers that be above them. It’s so easy to want them to become another Reinhard-- another just, all-powerful crusader. We want the benevolent dictator.
LOGH tells us not to fall for it.
Reinhard never falls to corruption. His regime is built on the hard work of men who fully commit to his morals. But there is an inherent violence that never goes away. It’s an authoritarian regime, after all. There’s still a secret police that quietly dispels the opposition. Loyal subordinates are made scapegoats and sacrificed for the sake of the cause. The goodness of the empire hinges on Reinhard’s goodwill.
LOGH lets Reinhard maintain that goodwill. He gets to spend his entire life fulfilling his dream. He never falls from grace. The fantasy of the benevolent dictator is allowed to come true.
Then the story asks: what happens when he’s gone?
Reinhard never dismantles the system that created the injustice he fixed. His life’s work will be washed away the moment the throne is succeeded by someone any less benevolent than him. Reinhard realizes this a little too late, and he asserts over and over again that only someone worthy of the throne should take it.
But he has mythologized himself too much, and the people who had fallen for his charm and accepted the good of his system believe that his son will be as equally great. One day, his family name will become synonymous with injustice just like the old regime he had brutally dismantled. He saved the present, but not tomorrow.
That we never see the spoiling of Reinhard’s legacy is important. The consequences of authoritarianism can take years, if not generations to pan out. Just because picking a dictatorship will benefit you today doesn’t absolve you of the responsibility to think of tomorrow. But if you can’t accept a government run by a singular savior, what other option do you have?
You have democracy. At times, it’s a poor answer. It’s a system that requires slow, glacial change. It’s prone to corruption. Those who would be the best to rule it are the least inclined to seize power within it. But, as protagonist Yang Wen-li asserts, we haven’t figured out a better system yet. We have to keep dedicating ourselves to a flawed system. What other options do we have?
The benevolent dictatorship is a sweet fantasy, but it’s just that; it was never real to begin with.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes acknowledges how people can give up their rights to a dictator for the sake of a comfortable present. It also understands the sad truth that the only way to fight against the allure of authoritarianism is to have faith in a failing system. The reward may mean more uncertain years of strife, but it’s a sacrifice you have to make not for yourself, but for the generations that will come after you.
A good government is a practice in faith. You have to believe in your rights to self-governance in order to retain them. It’s not easy, but you have to do it. You need to.
germansingergirl
origamiaround
baratheonpilled
annaxmalina
kianamaiart
prguitarman
areudirty
