[j. d. worthington]

In earlier sf, a lot of the societal models were based on earlier periods in history (Asimov's Foundation series, for instance, where the model was the decline of the Roman empire... but then, the young Asimov saw that as a science fiction adventure story, rather than hard sf, to a large degree).

You know, it's interesting to see this, as many of these comments were made over 70 years ago, by Lovecraft, in his "Some Notes on Interplanetary Fiction". I haven't seen that particular one on the 'net, but if I come across it, I'll pass on the link....