“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” I started listening this without knowing almost anything about it. I knew it was on epic scale which made me expect grand space battles. I was wrong. This is about surviving during time of declining empire with diplomatic means. More Star Trek than Star Wars. I have to say old Star Trek because in new one violence is one of the first options.
Scientist Hari Sheldon has invented psychohistory which can calculate probabilities of future events so well he can predict accurately what will happen in upcoming centuries. He predicts empire will collapse in next 300 years which will cause dark age for humanity. To shorten the time of dark ages Sheldon wants to create library of human understanding. This project is called Foundation. Scientists go to far away planet on outskirts of galaxy to collect the library. Book tell how Foundation survives collapse of Empire by adapting and finding diplomatic ways to stop more powerful foes.
If you know some history you get flashback to European history from Fall of Roman Empire to beginning of European Union. First Empire just disappears and Foundation find themselves on their own. From that it takes different steps and ends up finding same principles which started development towards European Union. First treaties which lead to European Union were signed same year Foundation was published.
Foundation is 70 years old this year. Only thing dating it was importance of atomic energy. Nowadays it would have been replaced by other science fiction technology. I didn’t expect Foundation to be about politics and diplomacy. It made politics and diplomacy interesting by making it a game where starter person can win more powerful person.