A two-billion-year epic of human evolution and inevitable collapse
In short: In 1930, Olaf Stapledon published a vision of the future so vast it spans eighteen human species. From the rise of a World State to the terraforming of Venus, this 'future history' explores the cyclical rise and fall of civilizations across the cosmos.
First published by Methuen on 23 October 1930, *Last and First Men* is a work of unprecedented scale. The narrative follows a repetitive cycle where civilizations rise to immense heights before descending into savagery. The story begins in the early 21st century, where devastating European wars leave the United States and China as the final superpowers. This tension eventually culminates in a Sino-American war and the subsequent formation of a First World State in the 24th century.
The progression of species is marked by radical biological and social shifts. For instance, the Second Men—appearing ten million years after the First Men—were characterized by massive necks and jade green eyes, lacking the concept of egotism. Later, the Third Men developed six-fingered hands and a religion centered on music. By the time the Fifth Men emerged, they had developed technology capable of terraforming Venus, though this expansion involved the genocide of the planet's native marine race.
Stapledon’s vision is not merely biological but philosophical. The book anticipates concepts like genetic engineering and the 'supermind,' a consciousness formed by telepathically linked individuals. However, the scope is also tragic. The cycle of progress eventually reaches the Eighteenth Men, a perfected species that achieves immortality but is ultimately extinguished when a supernova consumes the Solar System. This monumental work has deeply influenced science fiction legends like Arthur C. Clarke and Brian Aldiss, and even sparked philosophical debates with authors like C.S. Lewis regarding the morality of interplanetary colonization.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Last and First Men
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