Those not familiar with Robert A. Heinlein’s work or libertarian ideas might not see the value in one of his works, a book called “The Puppet Masters.” The book was published in 1951 during a time which science fiction, as a relatively new genre, had captured the imagination of a nation. Many stories took place in the future in which technological advances were expected both to ameliorate and introduce problems.

Whereas science fiction writer Isaac Asimov was primarily interested in finding out the answers to questions that he posed in his own works, Heinlein instead was interested in exploring ideas of human self-governance, individual will, and personal liberty. These are the themes “The Puppet Masters” uses.

The story revolves around alien creatures called slugs. Not much description is provided for them, perhaps intentionally. They hail from a moon called Titan, which orbits the planet Saturn. Throughout the course of the book, it is revealed that the titans (as they are called) tried to establish a foothold on the planet Venus, which human beings had colonized. In 1951, it was not known the Venus had an exceptionally thick atmosphere that crushed anything which tried to enter it in the same manner that submarines are crushed by water pressure when they go too deep into the sea.

The purpose of the slugs is primarily to live off human beings, apes, dogs and cats. Their purpose is not entirely clear. They provide what they call a feeling of nirvana to the host organism, whose actions are controlled in every way possible. The slugs are essentially a metaphor for socialist, government control, one which the characters in the book admit must always be guarded against- even if they think they’ve gotten rid of it for good.

The process of discerning possessed people from non-possessed involves taking off most, if not all, of one’s clothes. This has the effect of turning a military base into a nudist colony. The slug hide within clothes. When no clothes are worn, they can be clearly seen. This is another way of saying, “the socialist is always among us. The only way to find out who he is and where he may be found is to bare our souls, one to other.” Only by stripping naked, intellectually, can one discern the difference between an individualist and a socialist.

In an odd- though expected- twist, the authorities in the story call for an abridgement of civil liberties in order to combat the problem. Heinlein’s president, though nothing like the dictator presidents of today, nevertheless anticipates the authoritarian, autocratic leaders who tend to rise to the top by means of their status as political celebrities.

The final solution- kill the slugs. Eradicate them. A slug, in this book, represents the idea of socialism, which controls a man against his will. The goal is not to kill the man but to kill socialism itself. It is simply a question of whether humankind can retain its free will or whether it shall be subject to dictates that deprive people of their liberty. To defeat the slugs- socialism- requires all the energy and passion human beings can muster. Heinlein describes them- it- as a pernicious enemy which must be stopped at all costs.

“The Puppet Masters” is not merely a fun science fiction story to read on a Friday evening. It is a treatise on personal liberty in the form of a story- though the story is so well-crafted that the ideas don’t really appear unless they are sought for. It can be enjoyed either as just a story or as a complex philosophic commentary.