9.0 Law

For a society to function there needs to be a set of rules managing the various aspects of governance, business and the society in general.

In a planetary colonial environment where multiple businesses and governments from many nations are all seeking to stake their claim, the rule of law would by necessity need to encompass all entities into a common law. In the diagram I noted three different law formats.

IPFL refers to Interplanetary Flight Laws and are basically the operational aspects of IPF such as flight paths to and from the planets, managing launch and re-entry flight plans, societal law in flight etc.

I mention in-flight societal laws as the CAL noted below laws would not be in effect during IPF. The reason for this distinction is that as with any sea faring ship, the captain must have the authority to safely carry out the passage of cargo and people during transit. Unlike the captains of previous centuries, modern day captains are more accountable to a set of rules and regulations governing their actions.

People onboard an IPF must be held accountable to some sort of law regarding conduct, accountability for their in flight actions etc. Because there will be multinational passengers on board from various businesses and governments they must all be held accountable to the same IPFL. Earth based international laws and treaties including diplomatic immunity would hinder the safe operation of the craft in a hostile environment and would therefore NOT be applicable during IPF.

The IPFL laws also address the operational management of an IPF by the crew and captain. (Every spaceship should have a dedicated crew responsible for operational and transit operations.) The current method of training astronauts to be the flight crew and the ‘scientists” performing experiments and routine maintenance would not be applicable to IPF. (Are passengers on a boat expected to also maintain that boat, no, so a flight crew is required on every star ship?) 

CAL refers to Colonial Administrative Law and are the societal laws governing the colonists and foreigners on Mars. These colonial administrative laws govern all aspects of life of the colonists (eventual citizens) and foreign workers and are administered and enforced by the colonial security services. 

MBL refers to business law and is the last of three law structures developed to manage colonial operations and governance.

MBL is the laws governing business and foreign government contracts on Mars. The laws are written to ensure that business affairs are conducted in such a manner as to be beneficial to colonial development while ensuring a fair and equitable allocation of Martian territories for research and development. 

Such operators would be accountable to both CAL and IPFL while conducting their scientific or business ventures. As noted in previous posts, a sovereign planet has greater ability to manage planetary development without adversely hindering business and Earth based national interests at the new colonies. One obvious advantage is the implementation of common law beneficial to everyone.

Sovereignty is intended to create a gateway, not a roadblock and these three law formats would help to ensure equitable, conflict free access to the new territories.

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