Entrepreneurship on Mars – What Small Business Could You Run in a Mars Colony?
If we put a colony on Mars would it be a commune? Since it will be enclosed and encapsulated because the Martian atmosphere does not have breathable air, one has to ask if it will be more of a communist colony, then a capitalist one? If there’s only a limited and finite amount of money trading between the humans and the Mars colony, then eventually one person, or a small group will end up with most of the money – and it will probably be the one who can provide the services that are most in demand.
The second richest will most likely be the banker, who figures out a way to control the flow of the money and make interest on loans. So what type of entrepreneurial endeavor could one start in a Mars colony that would help put them at the top of the food chain?
We know what the first profession was, and being cooped up in a small place with the number of people, might mean that the most desired services in the colony could be providing pleasure to others. Or, perhaps card games and gambling might take place, and a person who is the best card player will end up with most of the money, as the colonists play Texas Hold’em.
Of course, if one of the colonists is able to grow a certain type of vegetable that is in short supply due to issues of scarcity and they may be a able to sell those vegetables to the others for a rather high price. Thus, a farmer would be the wealthiest – engaged in the business of agriculture.
Perhaps, the Mars colony will be put underground, and may one colonist can provide the most labor, therefore probably the strongest will be able to dig out more Mars dirt to expand the underground colony, therefore, their services will be highly valued.
Although this may not be of interest to you, it is to me, because I’ve read several of the Mars Colony science fiction novels, where they talk about this kind of thing, and the various jobs that must be provided to ensure the colony can continue to exist, and what happens when things go wrong, when personalities clash. Indeed, I hope you’ll please consider all this.
