The world of David Starr, Space Ranger shows the frontier mentality common to most stories of exploration, whether of the American West or of outer space.

Good is good and bad is bad, with little room for subtlety or ethical complexity.

Democracy reigns, and totalitarian regimes must be resisted. Within the democratic system of Earth, progress holds a high place; authority comes through a special kind of meritocracy, with the best scientists entering the Council of Science, "not an official government agency, but its members were nearly above the government." In every volume of the series ability wins out over the circumstances of birth or fortune. Even the Council of Science, however, must defer to the elected government, which includes some selfserving politicians. After vanquishing one of them (in Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury), David observes that the corrupt Senator Swenson "keeps the...