Evolution

“But it’s so unfair! You have so much, and she had so little. Surely, it wouldn’t hurt so much to provide for one person.”

“One person? No, of course not. The problem is that it’s never just one. Your society can’t stop with producing only one person like Emily. You produce them by the hundreds every day. Is that fair? To them? To you? To us?”

“But all she needed was a little food, and you can produce it easily.”

“ ‘From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs,’ ” Lister quoted. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“Well… yes.”

“Do you know who said that?”

“No.”

“Karl Marx, although he lifted the thought from someone else. Communism, they called it. The last country that practiced it failed over fifty years ago. Unfortunately, it’s an insidious disease, and a great many people continue to urge some fragment of that philosophy on you with the best of intentions. You see, Trevor, the trouble arises in determining ability and need. Nearly every person alive can give you a thousand reasons why they need a new house, preferably a bigger, fancier one. Give them half a chance and they’ll also tell you that they need a new car, new clothes, and while you’re at it, a swimming pool in the back yard. All these so-called needs far exceed the aggregate ability to produce. Trevor, the word need is one of the most dangerous words in the English language. Use it only when no other word will do.”

“But food is a genuine need,” York said.

“So is shelter. So is transportation, at least in today’s world. The question is, where does it end? At a bare subsistence level? Or do you add an arbitrary 10 percent to improve the quality of life? While we’re at it, why don’t we make it 20 or 30 percent? Soon, the poor are living better than the people who are footing the bill through taxes… after all, the money has to come from somewhere. At that point, unless they’re fools, the taxpayers see that they would be better off not working and quit. Sure enough, their standard of living improves. But that increases the load on those still working. Eventually, those people get the message, too. A society where no one works because they cannot get ahead is on the verge of collapse. People must see that it is to their benefit to work harder, not someone else’s.”

“But it’s not like that. Of course, there are people on unemployment, but America hasn’t collapsed.”

“A major Depression isn’t enough to convince you that something’s wrong? How about the food riots? You had a big one in Sacramento just a month ago. If I recall correctly, the National Guard killed six people. If American society hasn’t collapsed, it’s certainly one sick patient.”

York, clearly disturbed, tried to regain control of the interview. “Commissioner Lister, are you saying that you don’t care about what happens on Earth?”

Lister smiled sadly. “On the contrary, I happen to care very, very much. I simply believe that people should be responsible for their own actions—that they should be willing to bear the consequences of those actions with a minimum of fuss. Earth, North America in particular, chose the course they are on. Now the bill has come due, but no one seems to want to pay. That, to me, seems irresponsible.”

“Who are you to judge the people of North America? Do you have a god complex?”

Lister laughed easily. “No, just common sense.”

York shook his head slightly as though dazed. He turned, “Bob, switch off.”

“Off.”

The woman began to move towards York, reaching into her bag. York waved her back. “Not now, Sue.”

He turned back to Lister. “The camera is off Whatever we say now will be off the record.” He exhaled heavily. “Look, Commissioner Lister, let’s be serious for a moment. I think you know that I don’t approve of you—”

“Somehow, I got that impression,” Lister said dryly.

“—But my personal opinion of you isn’t really all that negative. To me, this is just business. The public on Earth buys this stuff and I make a lot of money giving it to them.” He shook his head slowly. “Really, now, I meant for this interview to have a… shall we say, a certain slant to it, but I certainly didn’t intend for it to go like this. Wouldn’t you rather just start the interview over? Is this some kind of joke? Why are you doing this?”

“Perhaps it’s what I happen to believe.”

“It’s political death!”

“Since you’re from Earth, you may not be aware, but I only intend to serve one term in office—about another eight months to go, now. Since I don’t care to be reelected, I can say anything I damn well please. As it happens, the people of Crisium seem to approve of the way I’ve run their government for them, but I can’t say that it really matters to me one way or another.”

“Are you really as cold as that?”

Almost distractedly, Lister smiled. “I’d rather reserve my warmth for those who matter most to me. If you choose to interpret that as being cold, be my guest.”

“You honestly don’t care what others think of you?”

Lister looked puzzled. “Other than the ones I care for, no. Why should I?”