"David Brin - Fourth Vacation of George Gustaf" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brin David)

"Fad appeal! Mr. Smith, their mail has topped one million letters per week! Their
budget, all derived from per capita recreation funds drawn on World State treasuries,
will soon exceed that of my entire department!
"Your work may have been good stuff for an amateur, Hamilton. Enough even to
get you honorary status. But it was essentially micro-sociology! If you knew
anything about macro-sociology, and the possible effects of things like this on the
World State as a whole, you might have been more prudent!"
Hamilton shook his head. "I'm not sure I understand."
Ms. Ing sighed. She enunciated slowly, patronizingly.
"Even you had somehow caught on to a malaise that we pros have been watching
carefully for many years now. It's been hell, I'll tell you, keeping tabs on this thing
while every amateur psychology and sociology team in the world prowled about,
sniffing. And it had to be you, someone who never had a single credential before,
who came up with this monstrosity!"
"Now, I don't see any need to get personal--"
"You've opened Pandora's box!" Ing shouted. "Our calculations show this thing
capturing the imaginations of over half the citizens on the globe within six months!"
Hamilton felt numb. He looked to Dan and saw only passivity. "Well, fads do
pass. I don't think Dr. Gustaf would ever do anything to capitalize on this. He's a
responsible citizen. He'd just humor the public, I'd guess."
Hamilton glanced at the three AAA androids.
"Anyway," he went on. "I don't see where a human-android conflict comes into
this."
"Tell him!" Ing said to AnMan. "Go ahead and tell him who this 'responsible
citizen' really is!"
The centermost android bowed briefly to Ing, then to Hamilton. His features were
almost human, in a smooth, translucent fashion. His voice was cool and melodic.
"Mr. Smith, I represent Android Legal Control. You may be aware that we have
been, since the Amalgamation, the record keepers and guardians of legal precedent.
We are ingrained with a fundamental need to serve mankind's happiness and flexible
development. But foremost of all is our reverence for the Law, as properly
deliberated and passed by sovereign human beings."
"Yes, yes. We're all taught about what great pals you AnMen are." Hamilton was
growing impatient. "What does this have to do with George Gustaf?"
The android paused. "Mr. Hamilton, we have gone over the legal situation
carefully. You presented the historical record quite well in your recent book,
particularly in regard to how the royal families of Earth first withdrew from politics
and then slowly merged into one line.
"What you did not, and could not, discuss was the precise fashion in which the
kings and queens and emperors withdrew from public life.
"It appears that a close study shows no total abrogation of power. In almost
every case, the final act, approved by the elected assemblies of the people of each
nation, had lines such as, 'by most gracious permission of His Majesty' and 'by the
trust Her Majesty now invests in us,' all semantically powerful. No doubt when such
phrases were included they were thought mere courtesies."
"You don't mean..." Hamilton felt a sinking sensation.
"But I do, Mr. Smith. Oh, there are substantial limitations to royal authority that
do have the force of law. But in essence, that man is 'king' of the greater part of the
globe. It is the intention of Android Legal Control to inform him of this, as soon as
his game is completed, and to offer him our protection."