The ethics of space colonies

[The Sotoan Union]

This may be somewhat difficult to talk about considering it is hypothetical, but lets say history happens just like we predict it to. Let's say in the distant future humanity colonizes other moons and planets. Whether they be in this solar system or another is irrelevant. Let's say that in decades, to hundreds of years, the colonies have developed industry and infrastructure. They are self-sufficient to the point of not completely relaying on other colonies. They develop their own culture and identity. Just like on Earth, now these colonies want independence.

Should we give it to them? In modern society colonies are considered unethical, but that largely comes from European colonization of other peoples. No one saw anything wrong with the European colonies that were founded by Europeans (like the US or Brazil.) Furthermore what if these colonies are necessary? What if their resources are necessary to maintain civilization on Earth? What if Earth is so uninhabitable that humanity on it would dies without the colonies. Is there some philosophical need to keep humanity united as it spreads through the stars?

Personally I think these colonies would win independence eventually, just like in the real world. So they should be given independence when they want it.

[Baltenstein]

Really depends on the circumstances, the reasons for the Colonists' desire for Independence and on wether there were serious negotiations to maintain the unionist Status quo.

[ESTU]

This may be somewhat difficult to talk about considering it is hypothetical, but lets say history happens just like we predict it to. Let's say in the distant future humanity colonizes other moons and planets. Whether they be in this solar system or another is irrelevant. Let's say that in decades, to hundreds of years, the colonies have developed industry and infrastructure. They are self-sufficient to the point of not completely relaying on other colonies. They develop their own culture and identity. Just like on Earth, now these colonies want independence.

Should we give it to them? In modern society colonies are considered unethical, but that largely comes from European colonization of other peoples. No one saw anything wrong with the European colonies that were founded by Europeans (like the US or Brazil.) Furthermore what if these colonies are necessary? What if their resources are necessary to maintain civilization on Earth? What if Earth is so uninhabitable that humanity on it would dies without the colonies. Is there some philosophical need to keep humanity united as it spreads through the stars?

Personally I think these colonies would win independence eventually, just like in the real world. So they should be given independence when they want it.

They should be given independence from day one. The last thing the colonists need while breaking ground in a brand new and likely hostile world, is some bureaucrat a million miles away telling them what they can and cannot do to survive.

[Baltenstein]

This may be somewhat difficult to talk about considering it is hypothetical, but lets say history happens just like we predict it to. Let's say in the distant future humanity colonizes other moons and planets. Whether they be in this solar system or another is irrelevant. Let's say that in decades, to hundreds of years, the colonies have developed industry and infrastructure. They are self-sufficient to the point of not completely relaying on other colonies. They develop their own culture and identity. Just like on Earth, now these colonies want independence.

Should we give it to them? In modern society colonies are considered unethical, but that largely comes from European colonization of other peoples. No one saw anything wrong with the European colonies that were founded by Europeans (like the US or Brazil.) Furthermore what if these colonies are necessary? What if their resources are necessary to maintain civilization on Earth? What if Earth is so uninhabitable that humanity on it would dies without the colonies. Is there some philosophical need to keep humanity united as it spreads through the stars?

Personally I think these colonies would win independence eventually, just like in the real world. So they should be given independence when they want it.

They should be given independence from day one. The last thing the colonists need while breaking in a brand new and likely hostile world, is some bureaucrat a million miles away telling them what they can and cannot do to survive.

This begs the question why any Country and/or corporation would finance a multi-Billion Dollar colonization program if they won't have any say after its succesful realization.

[The Sotoan Union]

This may be somewhat difficult to talk about considering it is hypothetical, but lets say history happens just like we predict it to. Let's say in the distant future humanity colonizes other moons and planets. Whether they be in this solar system or another is irrelevant. Let's say that in decades, to hundreds of years, the colonies have developed industry and infrastructure. They are self-sufficient to the point of not completely relaying on other colonies. They develop their own culture and identity. Just like on Earth, now these colonies want independence.

Should we give it to them? In modern society colonies are considered unethical, but that largely comes from European colonization of other peoples. No one saw anything wrong with the European colonies that were founded by Europeans (like the US or Brazil.) Furthermore what if these colonies are necessary? What if their resources are necessary to maintain civilization on Earth? What if Earth is so uninhabitable that humanity on it would dies without the colonies. Is there some philosophical need to keep humanity united as it spreads through the stars?

Personally I think these colonies would win independence eventually, just like in the real world. So they should be given independence when they want it.

They should be given independence from day one. The last thing the colonists need while breaking in a brand new and likely hostile world, is some bureaucrat a million miles away telling them what they can and cannot do to survive.

Let's say a colony starts when a thousand people spend a year in a cramped spaceship to set up a few buildings on a moon of Jupiter. Then the first transmission they get from Earth is a message telling them to figure it out on their own. Yeah that's a bad idea.

[Baltenstein]

Im wondering if the OP is eager to play the new Sid Meier's Civ game.

[Terra Sector Union]

I was gonna say all space colonies should be under a central government but it really depends. You could have an Earth government ruling Martian colonies but somewhere in another solar system?

A colony light years away would diverge into a radically different civilization. Isolation is also another factor that can keep a colony from being controlled by a distant government. I'd say independence should be given to the them. I just believe planets should have one-world governments including Earth.

Edit: colonies are necessary for the survival of the species.

[The Sotoan Union]

I was gonna say all space colonies should be under a central government but it really depends. You could have an Earth government ruling Martian colonies but somewhere in another solar system?

A colony light years away would diverge into a radically different civilization. Isolation is also another factor that can keep a colony from being controlled by a distant government. I'd say independence should be given to the them. I just believe planets should have one-world governments including Earth.

But like historical colonies, many of these would be founded for resources. Some may be population centers, but most will simply be sources of resources. Colonies will likely specialize. Some will be agricutural, others industrial, others mining, etc. A central organization may be necessary just to maintain the trade between them and manage humanity's need for resources.

[Scepez]

What would stop them from declaring freedom?
I mean, colonizing is hard enough, but I doubt we could ever start a freaking space war.

[Seraven]

This may be somewhat difficult to talk about considering it is hypothetical, but lets say history happens just like we predict it to. Let's say in the distant future humanity colonizes other moons and planets. Whether they be in this solar system or another is irrelevant. Let's say that in decades, to hundreds of years, the colonies have developed industry and infrastructure. They are self-sufficient to the point of not completely relaying on other colonies. They develop their own culture and identity. Just like on Earth, now these colonies want independence.

Should we give it to them? In modern society colonies are considered unethical, but that largely comes from European colonization of other peoples. No one saw anything wrong with the European colonies that were founded by Europeans (like the US or Brazil.) Furthermore what if these colonies are necessary? What if their resources are necessary to maintain civilization on Earth? What if Earth is so uninhabitable that humanity on it would dies without the colonies. Is there some philosophical need to keep humanity united as it spreads through the stars?

Personally I think these colonies would win independence eventually, just like in the real world. So they should be given independence when they want it.

Yeah, well usually the central will refuse to grant them independence, and it will result in a war. In which the central may have the advantage as they probably arming the colonies with minimal military capability (to shot down asteroids and to suppress rebellions in colonies), but not with aliens.

If there are aliens.

[L Ron Cupboard]

Like the Phoenicians found, there is more to be gained by allowing independence and maintaining friendly relations.

[Seraven]

What would stop them from declaring freedom?
I mean, colonizing is hard enough, but I doubt we could ever start a freaking space war.

If we refer by fictional element, the war is possible.

But then again, that fictional element involves mobile suit.

[Risottia]

...Just like on Earth, now these colonies want independence. ...

Fighting a war over them would be economically and logistically idiotic. If they want to become independent let them.

[The zombie empire]

I agree.

[Baltenstein]

Depending on the Scenario in question, crushing planetary rebellions can be a piece of cake for central governments.

[Scepez]

Depending on the Scenario in question, crushing planetary rebellions can be a piece of cake for central governments.

Nuke them to ashes?

[Terra Sector Union]

I was gonna say all space colonies should be under a central government but it really depends. You could have an Earth government ruling Martian colonies but somewhere in another solar system?

A colony light years away would diverge into a radically different civilization. Isolation is also another factor that can keep a colony from being controlled by a distant government. I'd say independence should be given to the them. I just believe planets should have one-world governments including Earth.

But like historical colonies, many of these would be founded for resources. Some may be population centers, but most will simply be sources of resources. Colonies will likely specialize. Some will be agricutural, others industrial, others mining, etc. A central organization may be necessary just to maintain the trade between them and manage humanity's need for resources.

This is interesting. I always thought a space corp in the future could profit off of food to keep colonists fed. But colonists can mine resources, ship them back to Earth and get goods and infastructure development in return.

Whether space colonies are independent or not, they will have to rely on Earth until they can fully sustain itself.

[Novia Soviet Socialist Republic]

Of course they should have independence but that doesn't mean they should be cut off from Earth. I'd like to think we would have a sort of commonwealth type thing going on between Earth and it's colonies.

[Baltenstein]

Depending on the Scenario in question, crushing planetary rebellions can be a piece of cake for central governments.

Nuke them to ashes?

Got Death Star?

[Seraven]

Of course they should have independence but that doesn't mean they should be cut off from Earth. I'd like to think we would have a sort of commonwealth type thing going on between Earth and it's colonies.

Space Commonwealth.

[Scepez]

Of course they should have independence but that doesn't mean they should be cut off from Earth. I'd like to think we would have a sort of commonwealth type thing going on between Earth and it's colonies.

But "Earth" is not a country. So even if we are talking about colonies, who would found them? The US? Russia? China? UK? And such a thing might lead to another Cold War. Except this time is solar.

[The zombie empire]

Of course they should have independence but that doesn't mean they should be cut off from Earth. I'd like to think we would have a sort of commonwealth type thing going on between Earth and it's colonies.

Space Commonwealth.

agreed.

[Seraven]

Of course they should have independence but that doesn't mean they should be cut off from Earth. I'd like to think we would have a sort of commonwealth type thing going on between Earth and it's colonies.

But "Earth" is not a country. So even if we are talking about colonies, who would found them? The US? Russia? China? UK? And such a thing might lead to another Cold War. Except this time is solar.

And funding expeditions to build space colonies need money, lots of money. The possible thing is that private corporations and nations working together.

[Scepez]

But "Earth" is not a country. So even if we are talking about colonies, who would found them? The US? Russia? China? UK? And such a thing might lead to another Cold War. Except this time is solar.

And funding expeditions to build space colonies need money, lots of money. The possible thing is that private corporations and nations working together.

Oh jolly show, I'm going to see McDonald's ads on the Moon...

[United Provinces of Atlantica]

I think that they shouldn't be considered colonies under a central government, but rather provincial parts of a federal system, so we could be stronger in potential dispute with other civilizations.

Anyways, if we do use traditional colonies instead (this would be a huge mistake nonetheless), they should be given independence, but we should all be in an EU-like situation.