The next one hundred years

--- In spacesettlers, Ravenart wrote:

> Ron,
>
> This is but one of the many reason why I think that when we move
> beyond LEO and create a long-term settlements, we will have to move
> fast to create a new kind of legal system. I think archno-
> captialism in which each suits are limited to actual damages (NOT
> emotional and other nonsense) and are decided by a third party who
> is paid 50-50% by both parties involded. A new system of very

So. My research guys determine that known defects in my product will
probably kill one person every year and a half, but that I would lose
$12 million dollars to fix it right away. Since lawsuits can't be
very much, and since my product shouldn't last more than 9 years
anyway, it's cheaper for me to leave the defect in place, pay out the
little decisions, and try to do a better job with the next model.
Economically valid, but morally reprehensible.

> simple laws in simple English can help provide the businesses a
> place of security from the silly and destructive lawsuits from
> which they can have the freedom to improve technology. This rapid

Provide the *businesses*, yes. But what about the customers?

> process is a MUST if the colonies are to be rapidlly improved in
> safety and comfort,

I'm missing something here. You improve safety by *removing* the
penalties for putting out unsafe junk?!

> so a strong protection against liability will be one of the first
> to be spelled out under the articles dealing with private property
> and personal injury.

Against *idiot* liability, yes (like the nonsense with breast
implants). We need to do something to make the law make sense. But
we need to avoid like the plague (which it is) going too far the
other way, if we want to avoid (which we do) the bad old days of the
19th Century.

> Carl

Xenophile (*balance* folks, *balance*)