Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton
“Coventry is an idea proposed many times but perhaps best known in Heinlein’s version. The basic concept is similar to penal colonies in general: particularly the larger ones, like the present State of Georgia, or present New South Wales or Victoria State in Australia. It serves a dual purpose: to protect society from the actions of the convict (and at less cost and more humanely than a term in jail or prison, or execution) and to deny the felon most if not all of the benefits of society – to cast him or her out, to banish or excommunicate them. It is a long traditional method of dealing with those who commit acts of aggression and do other ‘uncivil’ things – including teaching matters contrary to the wishes of the powers that be. Does it work?” (05/12/25)