~ some quick thoughts: the Syndicate paragraphs reminded me of Catch-22 and Milo Minderbinder's Syndicate. Heller was obviously lampooning corporatism & military corruption but I wonder if he was also echoing Facism in Italy.
In Germany Hitler (supported by businesses) combined early to revive the economy from WWI while integrating the Party into the means of production. Speer details this process in Inside the Third Reich. He explains how Himmler interfered in the armament effort by having SS staff party loyalists control production efforts because they thought they could do manufacturing better but actually wasted resources Speer could have used more productively elsewhere.
And The Administrative State sounds like the Old Testament of the deep state. What starts as just a more efficient way to do things (no judges, no appeals) becomes oligarchy or technocracy. Of course it makes sense from the inside of the organization and would make their jobs easier. Reminds me of a joke by a sales manager of mine: "This job would be fun but for the customers."
~ some quick thoughts: the Syndicate paragraphs reminded me of Catch-22 and Milo Minderbinder's Syndicate. Heller was obviously lampooning corporatism & military corruption but I wonder if he was also echoing Facism in Italy.
In Germany Hitler (supported by businesses) combined early to revive the economy from WWI while integrating the Party into the means of production. Speer details this process in Inside the Third Reich. He explains how Himmler interfered in the armament effort by having SS staff party loyalists control production efforts because they thought they could do manufacturing better but actually wasted resources Speer could have used more productively elsewhere.
And The Administrative State sounds like the Old Testament of the deep state. What starts as just a more efficient way to do things (no judges, no appeals) becomes oligarchy or technocracy. Of course it makes sense from the inside of the organization and would make their jobs easier. Reminds me of a joke by a sales manager of mine: "This job would be fun but for the customers."
Albert Speer... I should read that one. I remember seeing Inside the Third Reich on the bookshelf when I was a kid.
Milo Minderbinder... I am going to have think about that one. I will have to license the idea from you.