Alongside Night

All you want to know about Alongside Night

Alongside Night  
Author J. Neil Schulman
Language English
Subject(s) Agorism
Genre(s) Speculative Fiction
Publisher Crown Publishers
Publication date October 16, 1979
ISBN 1-58445-120-3


Alongside Night (ISBN 1-58445-120-3) is a Prometheus Award winning libertarian and anarchist dystopian novel by science fiction writer J. Neil Schulman published in 1979. The book focuses on the character of Elliot, the son of a fictional economist and Nobel Laureate, and his experiences in a police state United States in the year 1999. The book was dedicated to Samuel Edward Konkin III and is based on his political philosophy of Agorism.

Contents

Setting

The story is set in United States on the brink of economic collapse, where inflation is spiraling out of control and the government struggles to keep hold of its power. Trading in foreign currency has become illegal and many shops are subject to rationing; as a result there is a sprawling black market for almost all conceivable goods. Other nations have not fared so grimly, and organisations such as EUCOMTO (European Common Market Treaty Organization - the novel's prophetic vision of the future EU) issue stable gold standard currencies.

The setting reflects the world as Samuel Edward Konkin III conceived it would be just prior to a successful Agorist revolution.

Plot

The story begins with Eliot Vreeland, son of Nobel Laureate economist Dr Martin Vreeland (An economist of the Austrian school) hearing of his father's apparent death and being rushed home from school. He quickly discovers however that the death is fake, a plot concocted by his father (after receiving a tip-off) to escape arrest by the FBI who are rounding up "radicals" accused by the government of worsening the economic crisis.

Eliot is sent by his father to collect some gold coins that had been stored in a safe location, for use as hard currency during the families intended escape. However, upon his return Eliot finds his family to be missing. Not long after, FBI agents enter the house searching for Eliot who manages to escape.

Eliot's escape leads him into contact with the Revolutionary Agorist Cadre, an organisation plotting the downfall of the US government through the means of counter-economics. The cadre has grown strong over the years of its existence, and has its own militia and extensive underground network. Eliot enlists the help of the Cadre, and meets Lorimer, a girl similarly on the run from the law.

As the novel progresses, government stability weakens still further, and they bring in tight controls on communication, travel and trade, however they fail to avert total collapse, leading to the private sector (unions, individuals, syndicates and many others) taking control of the old infrastructure.


The Poem

The novel takes it title from a poem, found both within the story itself, and preceding the novel.

Alongside Night

Parallel day

By fearful flight

In garish gray

Will dawn alight

And not decay

Alongside night?

See also

Agorism

Austrian School

Counter-economics

black market

Libertarianism

Anarchism

Inflation

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alongside_Night"

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