×
Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)
Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.
× A place to talk about stuff that doesn't belong anywhere else.
Would you colonize Mars?
- Black Barney
-
- Offline
- D20
-
- 10k Club
Less More
- Posts: 10045
- Thank you received: 3553
14 Jan 2017 13:55 #242430 by Black Barney
Replied by Black Barney on topic Would you colonize Mars?
Do you guys think the first colonization of anything off world will be a public venture (exploration -focused), or private/corporate (profit and resource harvesting -focused)?
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
14 Jan 2017 14:10 - 14 Jan 2017 14:11 #242434 by Vlad
Replied by Vlad on topic Would you colonize Mars?
I try to think of space exploration with the analogy of sea exploration, which is not ideal but at least has a point of reference in human history.
Those were usually private ventures (even when sponsored by state) and had profit as an incentive. For this to be a public venture, it needs the backup of a fairly totalitarian society, like China or Russia or at least a war-driven one, like the US space exploration during the cold war. A truly democratic society needs to balance the budget and would rather spend the money on something that would keep the current administration in office (like something that the taxpayers will actually appreciate on the short term).
Those were usually private ventures (even when sponsored by state) and had profit as an incentive. For this to be a public venture, it needs the backup of a fairly totalitarian society, like China or Russia or at least a war-driven one, like the US space exploration during the cold war. A truly democratic society needs to balance the budget and would rather spend the money on something that would keep the current administration in office (like something that the taxpayers will actually appreciate on the short term).
Last edit: 14 Jan 2017 14:11 by Vlad.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Moderators: Gary Sax
Time to create page: 0.121 seconds