Talk:Communes Fail
This is one where I have been there, done that, and bought the T shirt.
--Jriley 12:08, 10 March 2007 (PST)
Lunar Colony as a Public Works Project
The article states: "...it must be a viable business proposition at all times." but there is at least one other option. The lunar colony could be built as a public works project designed to pay its operating expenses while the construction costs are not explicitly repaid. This is similar to the Panama Canal. The United States ran the canal to pay its operating expenses and keep the tolls charged for passage very low. The United States benefited from this in a general way because of the increased commerce to U.S. ports. Increased taxes from increased shipping tended to repay the investment and added security from being able to send navy ships through the canal was considered a general benefit. A lunar colony could be handled as a public works project to benefit all mankind. Low cost electricity from space based solar power would be a general benefit, as would lower cost access to space by use of orbital facilities built with lunar materials. Having an international system of monitoring lunar activities so that no one nation might secretly convert productive capacity to military purposes would also be a general benefit. - Farred 01:40, 3 August 2013 (UTC)
