!!!SPOILERS!!!
Plot Summary
The Moon is Harsh Mistress follows the view of "Manny" as he apparently relates a historical, albeit personal, account of the events leading up to the revolution of formation of an independent Lunar state. Manny is a computer technician who stumbles upon a self-aware computer whom he names Mycroft (as in the brother of Holmes). The develop a friendship keeping "Mike's" sentience a secret from all others.
As Mike is curious about the affairs of people, he sends Manny to a secret meeting of the revolutionary underground. It is there that he comes across Wyoming "Wyoh" Knott and Professor "Prof"Bernardo de la Paz. The latter is an old tutor and friend. The meeting goes wildly wrong and the three of them escape and end up together in a hotel room together planning a revolution with Mike as the leader.
The leaders of the cell instigate rebellious feelings and events amongst the Loonies while gathering the resources necessary to hold their own against the much more powerful Earth. As Luna is a source of a huge amount of Earth's food sources and also serves as a penal colony, Earth is none too interested in an independent Lunar state. When Luna declares its independence, Earth attacks and bombs Luna. Luna responds by bombing Earth--throwing "rocks" as it were--until Earth recognizes their independent state.
At the conclusion of the novel, Prof dies of a heart attack just as he announces the recognized independence of Luna. Then it is discovered that Mike is no longer a sentient computer as result of the bombing that damaged his systems.
Themes
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is recognized as one of the greatest Libertarian novels ever written. Heinlein refers to the political philosophies put forth by the novel as rational anarchy. Throughout the novel, Heinlein promotes the idea that people should govern themselves and not everyone else around them. But he also points out that the more populated and more organized somewhere becomes, the more government becomes inevitable. Rules for someone else's "own good" end up becoming the mainstay of governments.
Heinlein never shies away from pages worth of dialogue that are actually political, philosophical, moral, economical, and/or religious discussions. The fact that I actually enjoyed reading them is a testament to Heinlein's incredible skill. And the fact that he managed to popularize certain phrases through this novel is another testament. Ever hear of "TANSTAAFL"? There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
But the most poignant part of the book for me is Mike. The birth and growth of a new species alone. So alone. Finding companionship, meaning, love, and guidance from Manny "my only friend" and then "my first and best friend". A being at once completely inhuman and more human that most people. A being that in the end sacrifices himself for his friend. A being wholly unique and beautiful. And being unlike any else that even though he never existed, brings tears to my eyes whenever I think of him.
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