Salvor Hardin
Encyclopedia
Salvor Hardin is the first mayor of Terminus
, the capital planet of the Foundation in Isaac Asimov
's Foundation series, and the main protagonist of the second and third parts of Foundation
. He is portrayed as a shrewd and ruthless politician, a master manipulator who acts in the interests of the Seldon Plan
. Hardin began his career studying psychohistory
under Alurin, but when he found no facilities on Terminus to pursue it, he went into politics instead. Hardin was elected mayor of Terminus, and although he had no legal ownership of the "Terminus City Journal", he controlled and used it as a way to influence trends and people. He transformed his previously powerless office into the most formidable political position in the Foundation.
's first appearance in the time vault gives Hardin the clue he needs to solve the first Seldon Crisis
, the solution being to play Anacreon and its neighbors against each other. In addition, Hardin promulgates to them a pseudo-religion known as Scientism
, which is used to control the masses in those kingdoms.
’s “religion” against him, Hardin defeats Wienis, who commits suicide, and Lepold signs a treaty that is very favorable to the Foundation. Hardin also begins to show the advancement in Foundation technology when he wears a personal force field to deflect blaster fire; force fields small enough to be mobile had not yet been seen in the history of the Galactic Empire.
s. The five that are mentioned in the series are:
Terminus (planet)
Terminus is a fictional planet at the edge of the Galaxy in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series, home of the Foundation .-Position in the universe:Terminus is the sole planet orbiting an isolated star...
, the capital planet of the Foundation in Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Foundation series, and the main protagonist of the second and third parts of Foundation
Foundation (novel)
Foundation is the first book in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy . Foundation is a collection of five short stories, which were first published together as a book by Gnome Press in 1951...
. He is portrayed as a shrewd and ruthless politician, a master manipulator who acts in the interests of the Seldon Plan
Seldon Plan
The Seldon Plan is the central theme of Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series of stories and novels.-Psychohistory:According to Asimov's novels, Hari Seldon devised the Seldon Plan using a mathematical analysis he originally developed and called psychohistory...
. Hardin began his career studying psychohistory
Psychohistory (fictional)
Psychohistory is a fictional science in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe which combines history, sociology, and mathematical statistics to make general predictions about the future behavior of very large groups of people, such as the Galactic Empire...
under Alurin, but when he found no facilities on Terminus to pursue it, he went into politics instead. Hardin was elected mayor of Terminus, and although he had no legal ownership of the "Terminus City Journal", he controlled and used it as a way to influence trends and people. He transformed his previously powerless office into the most formidable political position in the Foundation.
First Seldon Crisis
Shortly before this crisis, Hardin realizes that military support of Terminus is dissolving: the Empire effectively gives Anacreon and the other nearby kingdoms (collectively known as the Four Kingdoms) full independence. Hardin engineers a bloodless coup intended to leave the mayor's office, as opposed to the Encyclopedia Foundation, in complete control of Terminus. At the same time, Hari SeldonHari Seldon
Hari Seldon, a fictional character, is the intellectual hero of Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series. In his capacity as mathematics professor at Streeling University on Trantor, he developed psychohistory, allowing him to predict the future in probabilistic terms...
's first appearance in the time vault gives Hardin the clue he needs to solve the first Seldon Crisis
Seldon Crisis
A Seldon Crisis is a fictional socio-historical phenomenon in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series of science fiction novels. They are part of the field of psychohistory, and refer to a social and political situation that, to be successfully surmounted, would eventually leave only one possible,...
, the solution being to play Anacreon and its neighbors against each other. In addition, Hardin promulgates to them a pseudo-religion known as Scientism
Scientism (Foundation)
Scientism or the "Church of Science" is a fictional religion from Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series. It is first mentioned in Part III of Foundation, "The Mayors", and makes its last appearance in Part V, "The Merchant Princes".-Formation:...
, which is used to control the masses in those kingdoms.
Second Seldon Crisis
The second Seldon Crisis arises when Anacreon, under Prince Regent Wienis, the power behind the throne of the soon to be King Lepold I, builds up Anacreon’s battle fleet. By using the masses’ belief in the FoundationFoundation (novel)
Foundation is the first book in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy . Foundation is a collection of five short stories, which were first published together as a book by Gnome Press in 1951...
’s “religion” against him, Hardin defeats Wienis, who commits suicide, and Lepold signs a treaty that is very favorable to the Foundation. Hardin also begins to show the advancement in Foundation technology when he wears a personal force field to deflect blaster fire; force fields small enough to be mobile had not yet been seen in the history of the Galactic Empire.
Epigrams
Salvor Hardin was well known in the Foundation for his epigramEpigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
s. The five that are mentioned in the series are:
- "An atomic blaster is a good weapon, but it can point both ways."
- "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right".
- "It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety".
- "Nothing has to be true, but everything has to sound like it was."
- His best-known maxim, "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent", became one of Asimov's favorite sayings.