Re: Mars 2014 - One Way

From: Rand Simberg (simberg.interglobal_at_org.trash)
Date: 12/10/04 

Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 05:37:30 GMT

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 02:28:47 GMT, in a place far, far away,
fairwater@gmail.com (Derek Lyons) made the phosphor on my monitor glow
in such a way as to indicate that:

>>Colonies were expected to make a profit.
>
>Somewhere in my library I have book (a reprint actually) from the
>early 1900's and published in the UK that drives this point home
>forcefully. It essentially lays out the economic justification for
>the Empire. Fascinating reading.
>
>It's main point seemed to be warning against the 'showplace' colonies
>that Germany and Japan were starting to eye about then, as well as the
>horrors that colonial exploitation created in Spain. (Massey, in
>"Dreadnought" also adresses the issues and tensions caused by
>'showplace' colonization.)

A point that a lot of people miss when they bemoan the Ming Dynasty's
ending of the Treasure Fleet was that it was wholly non-profitable,
because the goal was to flex the Chinese muscles and pound the
Mandarin chest, rather than to build an economically viable trade
route or to profitably colonize.

Sound familiar?

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