Of Half-Life 2 and the Combine
The tricky thing with Half-Life 2, is the backstory/lore of what happened in between it and Half-Life. As discussed in the previous post, we effectively know nothing of the totality of it and must rely on the consequences of this society and the random bits of info that is given to us along the way. So how does one go on to describe the ascension of the neo-colonial government of the entire earth, particularly in City 17, and the debasement of the US government and all those associated with it, in good or bad ways, in the past?
From what we do know from in game lore and assuming some elements of the Half-Life 2 beta that does make some way of an appearance in the game, whether be it in the immediate surrounding or the background, that can be seen, we will get only a rough picture of it all. What effectively is known that the change in society was wholly external and material in the fact that it was annihilated and the old institutions were replaced with new ones to erase the old culture of a bygone era. After the transition, old elements that is contradicting with the new ones, and their supporting institutions, hadn't produce any force due to combat the Combine's expansionist empire's purposes in the traditional sense of warfare.
To take another look at it, imagine the conquest of Ancient Rome that were there to install its culture permanently with the native people in the area while rooting out the native people's culture at the same time. This would prove very beneficial to general Roman society in its totality up until the Roman Empire. Where that brings the downfall of it due to all the reactions internally against cultural integration and external reactions to not receiving the title of a Roman citizen, a title to have to politically change the Roman Empire at all. The problem here is that the Combine aren't using the tactics of Ancient Imperialism of consolidation. It's more along the lines of farming humans in the neocolonial and neoliberal impression of Imperialism. To where the benefits go, except the military cog, is unknown to date with current information given to us.
A modern example would entice immediately the Nazi government and society, their fervor to root out the established culture to be more German-like, or full-blast German, while arming the reactionaries to assist in their goals is what made them effective at first. Until it became a faster version of the Roman Empire and collapsed internally due to contradictions of the old culture not obeying to the new culture and externally due to external military presence of the invaded countries uniting against it. Yet this example falls unlike the Roman Empire one and due to the fact there's no external threats to the Combine to be significant, without the inclusion of Gordan Freeman and a mysterious figure I will mention later. It falls on the fact that the Combine didn't arm reactionary groups to support them since the Combine lacks a reactionary presence and there's no info of groups allying the combine in the time between Half-Life and Half-Life 2. No there's a better example to show the immediacy of the Combine.
That example being Neoliberalism and Neocolonialism. These two words are part of the global Capital and the latest impressions of the form of Imperialism, as aforementioned and which Imperialism itself is dialectical in nature. Neoliberalism is the first-world conditions that allows the first-world prole, worker as vague it is in modern society, to be blinded by the true intent of modern imperialism since they are net beneficiaries of this imperialism. Neocolonialism is what it sounds, a reformed and reinvigorated form of colonialism where the magic lies with economically and socially pressuring the countries without ever stepping foot in the nation, only in times of "instability" is it ever considered for military enforced-imperialism. These threats are inflicted with "debts" to the colonial nations, IMF loans, economic blockades, negating self-determination of the people themselves and crushing anti-imperialist struggles wherever they exist. This the Combine does, even if the scent of money is replaced with the flesh of Earth lifeforms.
So why until this point did the Combine of Earth didn't fall? Well if you remember from the Abstract part of the post, reproduction of the essence of society is what makes it progress forward, even with the contradictions riddled in it. It came down to the fact that the contradictions were producing a rebellion force that would prove effective in removing the Combine since it is allowing an antithesis to build up in strength to debase the thesis. A major part of the antithesis would come in the form of Gordan Freeman. Yet, what did bring Gordan Freeman unchanged for two decades straight from one point of time to another with his skills untouched?
Partly this blame could go on to a mysterious entity called the Gman, as hinted at in the previous post, and whoever he does work for. Throughout the entire post, it seemed as if something was missing to explain why Half-Life 2 could become what it did became and why Half-Life doesn't end normally due to the Freeman's "disappearance." Gman, as interpreted here, is what would be the dialectic of power in "human form" due to the cards he does play in the entire Half Life/Portal Universe, keeps a close eye on us in both games to see whether we, the player, are doing our duties and securing his end that might benefit ours as well. This might explain away the mystery of why he helps Gordan to secure the non-Combine society and to punish the Combine, as they are shown to not be treated well by the Gman, for whatever they have to done to deserve it from him.
With both the Gman, the catalyst of change, and Gordan Freeman spearheading the rebellion/revolution in City 17, it finally brings out in the Dialectic of Power the form of the synthesis that was lacking in the previous governments of Earth. This synthesis (concrete) is what effectively combined all the things was advantageous in the old society, new tech of military and economic use, and asserted a new governance that would be radically different from its predecessor in pre-Combine and Combine-controlled society. The rebels in the old society of both kinds saw what was wrong in both ideologically and decided to change it for the betterment of the future of society and history. Otherwise why have call it a rebellion/revolution in the first place?
This synthesis is very important in this dialectic, and can be generally said in all dialectics in one way or another. For it covers the reality of society when the contradictions become too strong to bare for the Thesis and the Antithesis assumes progression once it has dealt with the Thesis in its first form. Later manifestations of the Thesis are dealt with, and in Half-Life 2, we see the first phase is done and they are proceeding to deal with the day after which is the ultimate test of the revolution. For the new Base of this society must be made clear and ready as to keep the new society afloat. Meanwhile to establish the new Superstructure to keep the economy from cracking for the day after to not be the new horror in this revolution. And if they can manage it, they would advance collectively past their predecessors back in history.
Incompleteness
To that, the Dialectic of Power is now actualized in the Half Life Universe, being no more abstract, and can realize itself in it. But until the arrival of Half Life 3, this post will never be truly complete and the Dialectic of Power can still realize itself more in the upcoming game. Nonetheless, what I did gave you was a Fitchean understanding of Dialectics in general, even when I did throw bones as to show how complex a dialectic can be in general. While the interpretation of it is NOT wrong, it still is A simplification of Dialectics. Regardless, it is a good understanding to start off with until you delve deeper into dialectics, Marxist and Hegelian. Until then, goodbye and see you next time comrades.
Sources
- The Combine Symbol
- Half Life
- Half Life 2 Beta
- Half Life 2: Raising the Bar
- Half Life 2
- Half Life 2, Episode 1
- Half Life 2, Episode 2
- Half Life 2 synth enemy wiki
- Half Life 2 antlion wiki
- Lorerunner's videos on Half Life and Half Life 2
- Portal
- Portal 2