opportunities in this solar system

On Aug 4, 2006, at 1:06 PM, the_gunfighter_45acp wrote:

> Imperialistic Earth????? ummmmmmm think I'll just leave that alone
> for now.

I think the issue there is how much control Earth will have over the
daily lives of the settlements. We tend not to let go of power
easily, and near Earth settlements would likely be more like company-
towns than sovereign cities. In O'Neils's High Frontier, there is a
mock letter where the settler says the company lets them pretty much
do as they please because the company doesn't want another "Boston
Tea Party". Is this just wishful thinking on O'Neill's part? Will
the settlers truly have the power to pass their own laws as they see
fit, or will Earth intervene? Some time ago, people on this list were
describing all the different political and social arrangements they
would have on their settlements. To enact these, the settlement would
have to be independent of Earth government and even Earth corporations.

A colony all the way out at Saturn would have a much easier time
asserting its independence from the Earth. Those in Earth orbit would
likely have much more limited self-rule.

Although the first generation of settlers would be willing
volunteers, future generations will be born there, and may consider
(rightly or wrongly) Earth rule to be imperialistic and exploitative,
even though the Earthlings consider the settlement their rightful
property and investment. There are parallels to the age of imperial
expansion on Earth, although there are of course vast differences, also.

doug