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6/16/2025, 5:19:14 AM
>>95871626
>Why is space feudalism so much more common than space capitalism in TRPG settings?
I'm under several assumptions or inferences about space-time politics:
1. Is that when you get access to space, even just the entire material and administrative power of a single planet and the system it occupies; capitalism becomes difficult to maintain in a way we conventionally understand because society now has access to so much food, water, energy, and material wealth, as to make scarcity obsolete (or a conscious decision). Markets and Capitalism would still exist in some capacity (rare or unique offworld commodities, luxury artisanal goods, tourism, media, etc), but governing bodies at large probably wouldn't "care as much" and labor would most likely be more focused on conscious national objectives. Like, people don't show up for work to escape poverty; they probably show up to work to pay their taxes or maintain social credit.
2. If you've mastered ftl-travel, but not ftl-communication, and the prime minister or emperor can only really visit the provinces/colonies every decade or so; the government is going to have to be "okay" with the worlds governing themselves relatively autonomously to some extent. This creates the incentive for colonial and feudalist mindsets, but decentivizes capitalism to some extent due to the lack of "on-demand" information.
With that in mind I think people get the day-to-days wrong. I'd still expect people, on-world, to live relatively normal lives and engage in personal/private acts of capitalism like: own private property, run businesses, exchange local currencies, buy merchandise, consume media (movies, television, comic books), etc.. etc. Like, it's the idea that the government wouldn't let you starve, become homeless, die of poor health, etc.. But they're not gonna buy you a Nintendo Switch.
>Why is space feudalism so much more common than space capitalism in TRPG settings?
I'm under several assumptions or inferences about space-time politics:
1. Is that when you get access to space, even just the entire material and administrative power of a single planet and the system it occupies; capitalism becomes difficult to maintain in a way we conventionally understand because society now has access to so much food, water, energy, and material wealth, as to make scarcity obsolete (or a conscious decision). Markets and Capitalism would still exist in some capacity (rare or unique offworld commodities, luxury artisanal goods, tourism, media, etc), but governing bodies at large probably wouldn't "care as much" and labor would most likely be more focused on conscious national objectives. Like, people don't show up for work to escape poverty; they probably show up to work to pay their taxes or maintain social credit.
2. If you've mastered ftl-travel, but not ftl-communication, and the prime minister or emperor can only really visit the provinces/colonies every decade or so; the government is going to have to be "okay" with the worlds governing themselves relatively autonomously to some extent. This creates the incentive for colonial and feudalist mindsets, but decentivizes capitalism to some extent due to the lack of "on-demand" information.
With that in mind I think people get the day-to-days wrong. I'd still expect people, on-world, to live relatively normal lives and engage in personal/private acts of capitalism like: own private property, run businesses, exchange local currencies, buy merchandise, consume media (movies, television, comic books), etc.. etc. Like, it's the idea that the government wouldn't let you starve, become homeless, die of poor health, etc.. But they're not gonna buy you a Nintendo Switch.
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