Martial Law or Martians laws ???

Yang Liwei Rocket · 2004-05-17 22:00:22

Don't mean to sound to alarmist here but what happens when things go wrong.

Picture this

The date is the 20th May 2045

The year is 2045, a number of tiny bases have been built on mars. Using robotics some have been built near the south polar region, others are established near Arygyre planita and tharisis Tholus. Man has already walked on mars, and a small international team lives in a colony near Valles Marineris, a very expensive colony which has cost the world economy billions and is full of important scientific and mining operations

But there has been some problems.

In the last few years there have been reports of over working of colony workers, mental abuse, a suspect case dementia. There has also been some violence, some property has appeared to have been stolen and there is even a incident of sabotage.

An internationla ship has been built and it has been on route to Mars for the past few weeks. An international team, mena and women from the USA, some Canadian biologists, there are scientific people from EU Europe countries, Chinese workers and engineers, and some Russian civilians. Yesterday there were indication that some crew might have suffered from a cabin-fever type syndrome. Right now reports are coming in of a homicide on the ship. There has been a murder on the ship.

How should this act be treated?

It has the possibility of dividing the nations on Earth and send political leaders bickering and fighting with each other.

There should be a Martian body of rules established, a set of rules and principles under which justice is administered or enforced in a new mars state or nation? Mars laws may not be made properly. What happens if the person who made sabotage was an American, should the USA put him on trail or should the U.N handle it? What about the death penalty for murderous people, some countries are highly opposed to the system of capital punishments ( some European countries and Canada don't seem to like giving the death penalty too often ). Or maybe they shouldn't be punished so harshly after the stress might have got to them? Or maybe they should get punished harshly to set a good example. Maybe Hard Labour in jail camp might be a better idea for violent men, because killing some one could be a waste of man power and resources.

What to think about the future of mars law.

??
:bars:
:bars2:
:bars3:

Cobra Commander · 2004-05-18 06:28:09

jurisdictional conflicts would be inevitable with any international settlement effort. For this among many other reasons it seems more practical and likely that individual colonies will be under the authority of some single Terran nation or entity, or practically independent of government control should the financing be from private sources.

American colonies enforce a code based on American legal norms, perhaps as a nominally self-governing territory. The Chinese follow their norms, and the independent colonies do whatever they decide is best for them, whether it be treating murderers as stressed-out overworked victims or just shoving them out the airlock.

There will be crime. The Martians will work it out.

Aetius · 2004-05-18 16:25:20

I agree with Cobra. Each colony should base its legal code on the accepted norms of its corporate/national sponsors.

The Martians and their Terran backers must be allowed to work things out in an organic fashion, in my opinion. Otherwise, I believe you are asking for BIG problems down the road...from resentful Martians who chafe at the bit; and from resentful Terrans, who've spent billions to establish the colonies in the first place.

clark · 2004-05-18 16:36:47

This could be fun!

Each colony should base its legal code on the accepted norms of its corporate/national sponsors.

Hmm, what would the legal codes of some corporations look like?

Nike: Just do it. Or get shot.
Martha Stewart: No insider trading, everything else it just peachy.
Walmart: All your base belong to us, now meet and greet.
Chevy: Justice, like a rock, hard. Leniancy is an optional package, but we offer financing.
Domino's: Convictions in 30 minutes or less, or your death penalty is free!
Haliburton: Freedom is free, air is going to cost ya.
Enron: anyone with any amount of moral guidance need not apply.

:laugh:

Yang Liwei Rocket · 2004-05-18 21:10:58

Sounds like a scary tale from a science fiction movie

this like someone you know?

Vilos Cohaagen

http://www.scifionline.de]www.scifionline.de

Let's hope Mars doesn't have a ruler like him

Aetius · 2004-05-19 16:16:49

I doubt that corporations will ever see enough potential profit on Mars to fund a colony, until governments on Earth have done the heavy lifting.

Besides, colonies will need to attract specialist workers and their families. Corporate colonies will be no exception. The risk of sanctions imposed by neighboring national colonies over human rights violations will also be a grave concern.

Yang Liwei Rocket · 2004-05-20 15:29:58

space madness and crime caused by cabin fever!?

I was glad to haer people are looking into this

Eesearchers from the Australian National University are trying to understand the dynamics that might afflict a long-term space mission, and offer some solutions to make things easier. Volunteers from the Mars Society will travel to the Australian desert, and attempt to mimic some of the conditions experienced by long-duration space travelers

srmeaney · 2005-07-29 21:30:19

In the last few years there have been reports of over working of colony workers, mental abuse, a suspect case dementia. There has also been some violence, some property has appeared to have been stolen and there is even a incident of sabotage.

The Commonwealth of Mars promptly informs Earth that it will no longer tolerate the abuse of its citizens and that we will find your loyalist spies and ship their corpses to you in ore sample containers.

idiom · 2005-07-29 22:42:50

space madness and crime caused by cabin fever!?

Yes, but think of the tv ratings!

Mundaka · 2005-08-10 13:20:12

BWhite · 2005-08-10 16:49:04

I doubt that corporations will ever see enough potential profit on Mars to fund a colony, until governments on Earth have done the heavy lifting.
Of the governments that can do the heavy lifting, the question is which ones will? A government like mine here in the U.S. might do it, but these days only if you can link it with fighting terrorism -- fighting communism is just too passe.
The reality is that Western politicians are dependant upon what they can get for their constituents and so think short-term (like the pork-trough dwellers they serve.)
The alternative is a powerful, but totalitarian government that could colonize Mars or the Moon either as a propaganda coup or for a percieved military advantage -- but would you want to live there?

My bet would be on a major world religion. But that is old news, for me.

Aetius · 2005-08-20 19:25:59

Maybe the coming Islamic Caliphate of Western Europe will have the will and the resources to do the job. I doubt that such a society would attract many potential female colonists with valuable skills, but women's opportunities would probably be severely restricted in a colony living under Sharia law anyway.

I would actually welcome it. I'd rather see the Islamic world focus its collective energies on turning Mars into a Mohammedan paradise than endlessly wasting its time blaming the West for all its problems.

clark · 2005-08-23 20:05:07

Mundaka,

You cannot expect a private company to have the best interests, or be represenative of, its workers needs and expectations.

It's akin to expecting McDonalds to develop nutrional guidelines that do not include "shake and fries" as building blocks.

Perhaps the HR department within the company can represent the interests of the workers to management. But in my experience, HR is about getting employee buy in with management policy. [shrug]

Co-ops are cool, but we have a seperation of church and state, so I think throwing in "business" into that mix wouldn't be so bad.

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#1 2004-05-17 22:00:22

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#2 2004-05-18 06:28:09

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#3 2004-05-18 16:25:20

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#4 2004-05-18 16:36:47

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#5 2004-05-18 21:10:58

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#6 2004-05-19 16:16:49

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#7 2004-05-20 15:29:58

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#8 2005-07-29 21:30:19

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#9 2005-07-29 22:42:50

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#10 2005-08-10 13:20:12

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#11 2005-08-10 16:49:04

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#12 2005-08-20 19:25:59

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

#13 2005-08-23 20:05:07

Re: Martial Law or Martians laws ???

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