Foundation and Empire (Foundation, #2)

by Isaac Asimov

he lacks even the fundamental honesty of honorable corruption. He doesn’t stay bribed; not for any sum.

“I have been told that practical transmutation is impossible by the laws of nucleics.”

We can see, now, that the social background of the Empire makes wars of conquest impossible for it. Under weak Emperors, it is torn apart by generals competing for a worthless and surely death-bringing throne. Under strong Emperors, the Empire is frozen into a paralytic rigor in which disintegration apparently ceases for the moment, but only at the sacrifice of all possible growth.”

Seldon’s plan helps those who help themselves.”