MovieChat Forums > Starship Troopers (1997) Discussion > Other depictions of functional authorita...

Other depictions of functional authoritarian societies in film?


Can anyone think of other depictions in films of ""ideal"" (and I feel I need to use two sets of quotes here...) seemingly functional and sustainable authoritarian societies like the one in 'Starship Troopers', that are united (no ongoing war at home or obvious signs of class divide and poverty), apparently completely post-racial (very diverse population and no racial-discrimination...) as well as featuring very strong gender-equality (mixed locker-rooms and showers, women in higher position of power like Sky Marshal Tehat Meru, women in the military and on the front line...)?


Of course, many aspects of the authoritarian society in 'Starship Troopers' are problematic (to say the least) by most modern liberal democracies' standards:
- It sets 'violence' as its founding principle (the whole "something given has no value.... violence is the supreme authority from which every other authority is derived" speech by Michael Ironside).
- Citizenship is conditional upon military service (all citizens are expected to serve).
- A large portion of the adult population is either maimed or disabled, due to wounds sustained during service.
- It has no second thought about sacrificing its youth to the war effort (e.g sending extremely young recruits to the front).
- Political propaganda ("would you like to know more?") is ubiquitous, which means free-speech and freedom of the press are most likely non-existent.
- It has the death penalty (with public broadcasting of executions!).
- It seems to be in a perpetual state of war (with non-human foes).


I find it extremely interesting and wise that Verhoeven chose to depict a bona fide authoritarian society without resorting to the most obvious negative features usually associated with fascist societies, such as race/sex/class discrimination or eugenics.
It makes it less easy to brush aside any possible comparison with contemporary (of 1997) American society on immediately identifiable and obvious grounds, and forces one to compare both societies based on their deeper organising principles and values instead (i.e. violence as the foundation of society, unity strongly dependent on identifying a common enemy stigmatised as the "Other", etc.).


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Is it ‘authoritarian’? Seemed pretty liberal to me, and having people earn citizenship by contributing to the society makes much more sense than our current Western systems - where you can just vote to steal other people’s money, leading to a tyranny of those dangling your earnings in front of those who want freebies.

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Every person given the option to complete a few years public service and in return they can vote or run for public office... great idea. Democracy has turned into a mix of hereditary rule and elites taking turns in office

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No, it was a liberal democracy. But apparently a lot of people were just watching for, "pew pew," and not paying attention.

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read the book.

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The Galactic Empire and Halo.

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The Psi Corps in Babylon 5.

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"I find it extremely interesting and wise that Verhoeven chose to depict a bona fide authoritarian society without resorting to the most obvious negative features usually associated with fascist societies, such as race/sex/class discrimination or eugenics."

The book was published in 1950 and is more about conservative politics and how the youth of the day were in moral decline. The director never finished reading the book and put his own angle on things.

Which is why you get this mix of Conservative and Liberal. The mixed gender showers for example is something that would be unlikely in a Conservative society. It is of course a great excuse to put some titties in the film though and at the time we all had a laugh at the idea of a mixed shower.

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