And that parody failed completely because the filmmaker didn't even read the book or understand the details of the story, so he left in all the stuff in that showed the Federation was a liberal republic with free press and immediate repercussions for failed leadership, no coercion to join the military, freedom of movement even if you were going somewhere dangerous etc.
The reason the book was called fascist by some people was because in order to become a citizen with the right to vote, a person must complete a term of federal service (which is often, but not always, military service). Heinlein was accused on basing this on Nazi Germany. But Heinlein himself says that he used Switzerland as inspiration.
In Starship Troopers, federal service is always voluntary and never compulsory. The logic behind this being that a society that can't depend upon volunteers for its own defense does not deserve to survive. If a person signs up for federal service, they can quit at any time. But if they quit before their term is up, they don't get the right to vote and they are never allowed to sign up for federal service again.
And that parody failed completely because the filmmaker didn't even read the book or understand the details of the story, so he left in all the stuff in that showed the Federation was a liberal republic with free press and immediate repercussions for failed leadership, no coercion to join the military, freedom of movement even if you were going somewhere dangerous etc.
The reason the book was called fascist by some people was because in order to become a citizen with the right to vote, a person must complete a term of federal service (which is often, but not always, military service). Heinlein was accused on basing this on Nazi Germany. But Heinlein himself says that he used Switzerland as inspiration.
Israel also has mandatory service with the option of military or civil service if I remember correctly.
In Starship Troopers, federal service is always voluntary and never compulsory. The logic behind this being that a society that can't depend upon volunteers for its own defense does not deserve to survive. If a person signs up for federal service, they can quit at any time. But if they quit before their term is up, they don't get the right to vote and they are never allowed to sign up for federal service again.