The Culture novels were published from 19872-2012 and I believe generally written the year before they were published so perhaps the foresight has to be weighted against when the books were written.
Use of Weapons was first written about 1974, but apparently needed a lot of work (and help from Banks' friend Ken MacLeod - also an excellent author) to get in into a shape that could be published - which it eventually was in 1990.
Ah, always wondered about that. It always felt like a slightly more... unfinished version of the Culture than the one in the Player of Games, which was published earlier.
It's interesting that the Culture was created as a background for Zakalwe, the ultimate warrior, who would he work for - the ultimate good guys of course! At least that's how I would read it....
