In a Good Cause— is a science-fiction short story by Isaac Asimov.
A standalone story, it was first published in the 1951 anthology New Tales of Space and Time. It was later collected in 1969's Nightfall and Other Stories.
Summary[]
The story follows the lifelong ideological conflict between two friends, Richard Altmayer and Geoffrey Stock. Altmayer is a staunch idealist who, from their youth in 2755 A.D., advocates for a peaceful union of all human worlds to face a potential threat from an alien race called the Diaboli. His protests and pacifist activities lead to his arrest and imprisonment on three separate occasions over 45 years, making him a public figure of dissent.
In contrast, Geoffrey Stock is a pragmatist who works within the system, rising through military and political ranks. He believes that unity cannot be achieved through idealism alone but requires strategic power and, if necessary, force.
Ultimately, a war with the Diaboli forces humanity to unite, but this is accomplished through Stock's ruthless political and military maneuvering, not Altmayer's peaceful movements. In the end, Stock achieves the unity Altmayer dreamed of but is destined to be remembered by history as a cynical politician, while Altmayer, whose ideals were realized through means he opposed, is celebrated as a hero. The story is framed by the statue erected in Altmayer's honor, highlighting the irony between the cause, the actions taken, and how history chooses to remember them.