opportunities in this solar system

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Douglas May wrote:
>
> 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
>

Well thats not a Earth factor. Its a human one.. Now be it Earth is
where most the humans are at. So yes there could be very good chance
at some point and time Earth control over space colonies will become a
cause for unrest in these colonies. Now there is a win win middle
ground I believe needs to be looked at as well.. Example: lets just
say, though there are joint efforts in space between countries the
trillions made from space exploitation alows countries to go off and
do their own thing, and lets just say America gets Mars. Outside of
reseach no other nation is interested in the red planet. So we make a
colony. Now once that colony gets to a certain point lets say in 50
years after it really got started it now can go on for the most part
on its own. Most likely what the U.S. would do is what it has always
done with a territory of importance and make it a state. Have it join
the political system which governs it. Now this could be better than
total separation from Erath . Because now Mars would have state rights
as well as a say in the political system which governs it. And if
something seriously gose wrong its not totally on its own.
Though it would sound odd Mars the 51st state. Might be far more
advantages than either total submission or total susesion.
But this dosent mean it will all work out either state susesion
happend once before in this country and a space colony may not want
state hood but nation status. It could very well lead to war if no
middle ground can be found..

And let me point out one thing humans will not stop being humans once
in space. You will see the very best side of man as well as its very
worst, as we always have in history when man tries to tame a harsh
environment. Such as the wild west looking at its history we can see
examples of the best and worst of humans under such stress.