NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Five hundred years is a long time, even for human civilization. Thats why it is significant and worth considering that the colonization of space, which finally appears to be on the near horizon, is a phenomenon mankind really hasnt experienced for half a millennium. Not since the discovery of the New World, in particular North America, has the opportunity to craft a major society out of (more or less) whole cloth been around the corner.
When we think about colonizing the Moon, or Mars, we tend to consider water supply, food, how people will breathe, and that's all very natural. But a far more complicated, and ultimately important question is how will these first space-humans govern themselves? And this is no longer the domain of science fiction, humans in space will be crafting and breaking laws before we know it.
INSIDE BILLIONAIRES ELON MUSK AND JEFF BEZOS' RACE FOR SPACE
There are dual purposes served by considering how our space colonies will operate politically. One is that it is coming soon and needs to be worked out, but the other is that it provides an opportunity to really reflect on the nature of our own government. The question of how we would structure our political life if we had to start over is no longer esoteric, it is upon us. So, what should we keep and what should we perhaps disregard in forging the governments of space.
From an American perspective, the most basic answer to this question ought to be, whatever the colonists want. Polls show that as many as a quarter of Americans would go live on a Mars colony. When they start going, it ought to be with some kind of space-age Mayflower Compact. And history shows the advantages of a hands-off approach from the old, or home world.
FILE - Oliver Daemen, from left, Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin, and Wally Funk, right, participates in a post launch briefing where they discussed their flight experience aboard the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket at its spaceport near Van Horn, Texas, on July 20, 2021. The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, they are no longer present commercial astronaut wings starting next year, too many people are launching into space. All 15 people who rocketed into space this year on private flights from the U.S. will still receive their wings from the FAA. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
A vital wrinkle in the creation of the Massachusetts Bay Company in the 1620s was that the governing body would reside in the colony, not in England. This was new, and it afforded a level of autonomy that its governor, John Winthrop, used to create a thriving, self-governed, society. One free to aspire to its own moral and political ends.
Winthrop wrote before setting off, "All other churches of Europe are brought to desolation, and it cannot be, but the like Judgement is comminge upon us: And who knows, but that God hath provided this place, to be a refuge for manye, whom he meanes to save out of the general destruction." Thats rather gloomy stuff, and yet, is it so far from the general despair that so many in America and the West feel today?
Of course, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was a financial endeavor, as well. And that is also going to be the case as future billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos propel our expansion into the unknown. How much control should the earthbound shareholders and CEOs have over the nonworking lives of citizens of Mars?
Perhaps political autonomy is an idea too outdated for space dwellers, perhaps democracy is, as well. America and the West wont be the only ones in space. Couldnt we lose out to an authoritarian Chinese colony ordered and efficient, coursing with the oil of social credit systems? Or a Russian colony bogged down by corruption, but willing to kill or be killed for power?
In the 17th Century what set American colonies apart wasnt just the autonomy, but the people drawn to that autonomy even at the risk of financial ruin or death. They werent moving to Florida to test it out, they were trying to create a whole new place made in their own image. The immense power of that little idea would eventually defeat the might of British arms. Lets hope it never comes to that with Mars.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
Throughout history the settler and colonial class has shown zeal and ambition that is only amplified by the promise of living on their own terms. And unlike 500 years ago, this compact, or social construct will be agreed to by all the people.
Many things in American society today feel stuck, many are. From baby formula shortages to ever-mangled and dangerous foreign affairs, to stark and sad partisan division, but we, too, are just a step in the broader experiment of freedom and democracy.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
As the billionaires toy rockets go up, we know that soon they will be tools that build a new society. We also know that society must be free. Amidst the difficulty we ought to spare some moments to think about this marvelous opportunity we give to the next generation, and let it bring us joy. Maybe all isnt lost after all.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS
See the article here:
Mars colony would be new beginning as humans enter the final frontier - Fox News
- Scientist explains the weird stuff that would happen to the first humans who live on Mars - UNILAD - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Heating Mars On The Cheap - Hackaday - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Elon Musk just gave another Mars speechthis time the vision seems tangible - Ars Technica - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Thousands of strange white rocks found on Mars. Will they ever be brought to Earth? - Space.com - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Could microbes feed astronauts on Mars? - Sciworthy - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Elon Musk to send a million people to Mars - AzerNews.Az - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Bruno Mars Announced as L.A.s Intuit Dome Grand Opening Performer - Hollywood Reporter - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- L.A. Clippers New Intuit Dome Will See Bruno Mars As Its Opening Act - Deadline - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- NASA's Curiosity Mars rover begins exploring possible dried-up Red Planet river - Space.com - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- NASA`s Perseverance rover spots thousands of `unusual` white rocks on Mars - WION - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- For Elon Musk and His Disciples, Mars Is Heaven - The Catholic Thing - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Mission to Mars? Vertical Future to develop prototype for growing crops in space - BusinessGreen - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- SpaceX plans to leave the first humans on Mars stranded with no way home - TweakTown - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Astrophysicist called the colonization of Mars a dangerous illusion - The Universe. Space. Tech - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Bruno Mars Announced as Intuit Dome's Grand Opening Performer With Two Shows in Los Angeles on August 15 and 16 - Business Wire - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Mars may not have had liquid water long enough for life to form - Ars Technica - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- NASA Crashed a Spacecraft Into an Asteroid and There Could Be Some Consequences - Popular Mechanics - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Madison board to vote on Mars Hill wedding venue, 1st since event venue moratorium - Citizen Times - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Want to Start a Farm on Mars? This Rover Will Find Out if it's Possible - Universe Today - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Bruno Mars will open the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood with 2 shows in August - Daily Breeze - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- The Vanguard of the Red Planet: Understanding the Drive Behind Mars Colonization - yTech - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- New insights into Mars' vanishing water mystery from Curiosity rover - Earth.com - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Bruno Mars announced as grand opening act of Inglewood's new Intuit Dome - FOX 11 Los Angeles - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Mars and FAO Food Safety Partnership Targets Mycotoxins - Food Digital - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Preparing for the Psychological Journey to Mars: Innovative Research on Astronaut Well-being - yTech - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- NASA May Have Inadvertently Redirected An Asteroid At Mars - IFLScience - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- NASA mission sparks 'space billiards' as boulders head toward Mars - Gwinnettdailypost.com - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Giant Mars asteroid impact creates vast field of destruction with 2 billion craters - Space.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- NASA's attempt to bring home part of Mars is unprecedented: The mission's problems are not - Phys.org - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Mars Spacecraft Marks 25,000 Orbits With Volcanoes, Clouds And A Moon - Forbes - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- NASA smashed an asteroid with a rocket. The debris could hit Mars. - National Geographic - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Elon Musk Says 'Almost Anyone' Can Afford A $100,000 Ticket To Mars By Working And Saving But 57% Of People ... - Yahoo Finance - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Mars Mysteries: Unveiling the Icy Craters - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Future Mars plane could help solve Red Planet methane mystery (exclusive) - Space.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Sols 4137-4138: Fascinated by Fascination Turret! NASA Mars Exploration - NASA Mars Exploration - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Drilling for water ice on Mars: How close are we to making it happen? - Space.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- This Summer, Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Grateful Deads From the Mars Hotel - Rolling Stone - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Bruno Mars and Las Vegas from those MGM debt rumours to his new bar - Style - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Mars using Ansys software to transform packaging development - Recycling Today - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Mars as a Driver of Deep-Sea Erosion - Eos - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- A Song of Ice and Tectonics - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Mars Hill students, faculty join residents to mourn 10 campus trees ahead of removal - Citizen Times - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Grateful Dead From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) - Shore Fire Media - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Texas will be the launchpad for Mars: Governor announces board of directors for Texas Space Commission - KWTX - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- M&Ms and Snickers parent company Mars spending $70M to open an 'innovation lab' in NJ - NorthJersey.com - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Historic water bomber, Hawaii Martin Mars, to be displayed in BC museum - The Nelson Daily - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) - NASA - NASA Mars Exploration - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- This little rover will ride shotgun on Japan's ambitious Mars moon sample-return mission - Space.com - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Lawmakers announce caucus focused on space and planetary science - NBC News - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- The science value of Mars Sample Return - The Planetary Society - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Study determines the original orientations of rocks drilled on Mars - MIT News - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- The secret history of water on Mars: What ancient climate change tells us about the future on Earth - Salon - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Bridging the cultural divide for moon to Mars - SpaceNews - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Mars was once a cradle for life, according to scientists - Earth.com - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Curiosity Rover is Climbing Through Dramatic Striped Terrain on Mars - Universe Today - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Sols 4114-4115: Bingo! It's Official Curiosity's 40th Successful Drill Hole on Mars! NASA Mars Exploration - NASA Mars Exploration - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Will NASA be able to return Mars samples to Earth? New audit raises doubts - Space.com - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- NASA Discovery Could Mean Mars Had Life-Supporting Hydrothermal Vents - Syfy - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Perseverance rover spots Ingenuity helicopter's snapped-off rotor blade on Mars (photos) - Space.com - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- NASA's Mars Sample Return Program struggles to get off the drawing board - The Register - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- NASA Eyes New Operating Plan For Mars Sample Return Mission - Aviation Week - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Scientists find unexpected biomolecule on Mars that could have triggered life on the red planet - WION - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Mythical Retellings, Mars Colonies, and Reincarnated Lovers: March's Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books - Literary Hub - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Bruno Mars adding 12 new Las Vegas performances, opens The Pinky Ring - KTNV 13 Action News Las Vegas - March 6th, 2024 [March 6th, 2024]
- Contact restored with NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter - UPI News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Massive deposits of water ice discovered on the equator of Mars - EL PAS USA - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Do we have to go to Mars to see the Martian Mountains? - Tehran Times - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- NASA lost contact with its Mars helicopter. - The Verge - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- MICK MARS Shows Off His Guitar Collection - "I'm A Tone Guy, Even Though I'm Half Deaf Now"; Video - bravewords.com - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Mars Opens Transformative $42m Snacking Research and Development Hub in Chicago - PR Newswire - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- NASA lost contact with Mars helicopter Ingenuity, then managed to find it again - The Register - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Mick Mars Explains What Set Mtley Cre Apart from Other '80s Bands, Recalls Why They Decided to Tune Down - Ultimate Guitar - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Suspected Small Oceans Worth of Ice Found Under Surface of Mars - High Times - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Mars Express Finds New Evidence for Ice-Rich Layered Deposits in Medusae Fossae - Sci.News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Mysterious patch on Mars appears to be enormous lump of ice - New Scientist - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Solvents may pave way for building on Mars and the moon - Futurity: Research News - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- A Massive Amount of Water Ice Has Been Found on Mars, Lurking Beneath The Equator - ScienceAlert - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- NASA says it's reestablished contact with the Ingenuity Mars helicopter - Engadget - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- Mars senior executive reveals his best career hack for climbing the corporate ladder: Stop fixating on that promotion. Worry about learning, not your... - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]
- NASA has lost communication with the Ingenuity Mars helicopter - Digital Trends - January 23rd, 2024 [January 23rd, 2024]