Good God! Didn't anyone read the
original book? It is a
masterpiece of dissection of
modern society. It is very
conservative,
yes, but quite good. Anyone who thinks that they know how
society works and/or how it might be fixed should be
required to read this book before they open their mouths in a
public place.
Heinlein, like many people in the 50's, based his theories of human behavior on a common sense model of the family. This model consists of a strict parent, who is the final authority in all things, supported but not outranked by the other parent, and on whom the remaining members of the family depend. The leader's authority entails responsibility for the family's welfare, a responsibility that is carried out by giving rewards and dealing punishments.
This model is Heinlein's template. We get to follow Juan Rico as Juan learns how his world works.
The story is very strong on the Might Makes Right motif, but with added touches of moral conservatism. Moral strength is reflected in physical strength, and physical weakness is a sign of moral weakness. Everyone is responsible to defend themselves against aggressors to show their moral strength, and using physical force is morally acceptable because it succeeds only against a moral inferior.