I'm just reading the Book "Robots of Dawn" by Isaac Asimov (again).

I didn't notice the first time, that there are one Earth and 50 Spacer worlds. Why did it struck me? Well, at the time of the writing there where one Europe and 50 States of America. Is it coincidence or is/was there an intended connection?

  • Interesting observation. This may have been a little joke on Asimov's part, but unless someone can unearth an interview in which he discussed it I don't think we can know one way or the other. – Royal Canadian Bandit Jun 19 '14 at 8:53

It's a coincidence. The fact that there are 50 Spacer worlds was already established in the first book of the series, The Caves of Steel, published (serialized) in 1953:

One thing they never forget, you see, is that Earth’s population is eight billions, while the total population of the fifty Outer Worlds combined is scarcely more than five and a half billions.

At that point in time, there were only 48 US states (Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959).

  • Well done! That answers my question perfectly. – Burkhard Jun 19 '14 at 14:59
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    There also wasn't 'one Europe' then - there was no EU, the Soviet and Nato blocs were major divisions, and many nations under all that. – Oldcat Jun 19 '14 at 17:10

I allways thinked USA was Aurora,libertarian and Solaria was Rusia. Solaria and Rusia has many thinks in common: they are both cities of the sun(on first symbol for communist parties was the sun), rigid on sexuality. Further more Solaria is specialised in robots, but communism says the workers must rule and thet are making the revolution(Anselmo Quemot theorised a new society arised from the use of robots). The Earth is the under developed countries(Africa, Middle East, South America). Thought science camed from arabs,it empowered the West word countries. Like in the books,robot was invented on Earth.

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