Modern 20th --> 21st century economy assumes that multiple players can
compete with multiple products in a market place. The assumption basically
being that no real constrainst exist on physical resources.
would be real constraints on the availability of physical resources.
What form would market competition take in such a constrained environment?
Some possibilities:
1. Competition could take place in the realm of ideas.
2. Products would only be in virtual shelves
3. Advanced manufacturing methods would produce only what a consumer wanted;
not the present method where mass production is required to make a product
viable. (There would be truly advanced methods to simulate - without the
need to cut metal - the performance of any hardware).
4. The other method would be to discipline the population so that they
manage with a limited range of products. (Like in the erstwhile Soviet union
where only one particular set of knives could be purchased over the length
and breadth of the country. Why have multiple brands when one particular
brand does the job?)
As our own world enters the more grim reality of resources constraints,
perhaps we need to think over these issues. Quite clearly the present
economic mantra of increasing consumption just to keep factories running and
to provide jobs would be suicidal!?
Any views on the subject?
Regards,
Selvaraj
On Sun, Oct 09, 2011 at 09:22:51PM +0530, sraj wrote:
> It would be difficult to have such an economy in a space hab, since there
> would be real constraints on the availability of physical resources.
On Earth, any one location is limited in resources too, but we
can just bring in more from another location.
I think the same thing would happen in space habs - you can have
mines elsewhere that ship material in, and we're back to the same
kind of thing we have today - mass production, economic specialization,
competition among material suppliers, different finished product producers,
distributors, and so on.
What if you only have a small, isolated group though? For example,
a habitat converted into a starship that's now in transit?
Well, that's going to be harder to manage!
I think in this case, some combination of making due with limited
selection and build to order would be good. You can put some incentives
on recycling old stuff too - the resale and repair businesses may
do very well.
I think that such an economy could function well, given the ability to personalize any of the standard production models to meet the specifications desired by the customer. For instance, using your example of a single standard set of knives manufactured at the time of purchase, said set of knives could, depending on the wishes of the purchaser, be personalized using any of a wide set of fonts available in a catalog, or for a larger fee, can engage a freelance designer to come up with a unique crest. This type of personalization can carry forth to all types of hardware, and the personalization can be effected at time of manufacture by either laser or casting, depending on mode of manufacture, by simply adding the personalized font to the production model as an overlay on the basic pattern. That provides plenty of jobs for creative people, while simultaneously preserving the advantages of standardization. I imagine that eventually artists would be afforded a high degree of status.
Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2011 10:52 AM
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [spacesettlers] : Economy in a Space Hab
Modern 20th --> 21st century economy assumes that multiple players can
compete with multiple products in a market place. The assumption basically
being that no real constrainst exist on physical resources.
It would be difficult to have such an economy in a space hab, since there
would be real constraints on the availability of physical resources.
What form would market competition take in such a constrained environment?
Some possibilities:
1. Competition could take place in the realm of ideas.
2. Products would only be in virtual shelves
3. Advanced manufacturing methods would produce only what a consumer wanted;
not the present method where mass production is required to make a product
viable. (There would be truly advanced methods to simulate - without the
need to cut metal - the performance of any hardware).
4. The other method would be to discipline the population so that they
manage with a limited range of products. (Like in the erstwhile Soviet union
where only one particular set of knives could be purchased over the length
and breadth of the country. Why have multiple brands when one particular
brand does the job?)
As our own world enters the more grim reality of resources constraints,
perhaps we need to think over these issues. Quite clearly the present
economic mantra of increasing consumption just to keep factories running and
to provide jobs would be suicidal!?
Any views on the subject?
Regards,
Selvaraj
Welll, if it was me and my group setting out into interstellar space in a rotating habitat, no doubt with the intention of becoming a generation ship, Id be sure to take a good sized c-type rock with me for materials. And maybe pick up a snowball on my way through the Oort cloud as well, for volatiles.
Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2011 11:00 AM
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [spacesettlers] : Economy in a Space Hab
On Sun, Oct 09, 2011 at 09:22:51PM +0530, sraj wrote:
> It would be difficult to have such an economy in a space hab, since there
> would be real constraints on the availability of physical resources.
I actually don't agree with the premise.
On Earth, any one location is limited in resources too, but we
can just bring in more from another location.
I think the same thing would happen in space habs - you can have
mines elsewhere that ship material in, and we're back to the same
kind of thing we have today - mass production, economic specialization,
competition among material suppliers, different finished product producers,
distributors, and so on.
What if you only have a small, isolated group though? For example,
a habitat converted into a starship that's now in transit?
Well, that's going to be harder to manage!
I think in this case, some combination of making due with limited
selection and build to order would be good. You can put some incentives
on recycling old stuff too - the resale and repair businesses may
do very well.