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Here's a legal code for the Mars Colony, drawn from the best laws from several nations: marslegalcode.org

bawolff 6y ago
Damn that's dystopian: > A Citizens' Council of seven members, similar to a Board of Directors, will be popularly elected. The Citizens Council does not, however, manage day to day operations of the Colony. That task is left to a governor, who is appointed by the Council for a single, non-renewable six year term. So a weak elected legeslative body and a strong indirectly elected executive with very few checks on their power. > Under the Code, living and working in the Mars Colony is a privilege, not a right. All those who come to the Mars Colony will be permitted to stay under a license. That license is revocable. Similarly, all real property is held by the Mars Colony and leased to individuals or companies working in the Colony. Misbehavior results in losing the right to remain within the Colony. Fun. If you lose your license do you get a berth on the next shuttle or are you exposed to the elements? This sounds less like the best laws and more like some of the more dystopian laws. Its basically a company town where you are not allowed to own property, don't have rights and are exiled if you step out of line. Luckily the whole thing is bullshit. Nobody is on mars yet and nobody has adopted this. Easy to make laws when you don't yet have power.
- f6v 6y ago
  > Under the Code, living and working in the Mars Colony is a privilege, not a right. So just like coming to US on a work visa. You loose your job - you’re out immediately.
  - vinay427 6y ago
    Yes, that's how a non-permanent visa works in just about every country. Some offer grace periods, but your residence there is still seen as extending a privilege.
    - f6v 6y ago
      The grace period is a major differentiator. Germany gives 3 months if you're on a Blue Card. That's plenty to find a new job. And btw, Blue Card can be exchanged for unlimited residence after working there for 21 months.
  - wernercd 6y ago
    Except being "out" of the US isn't being chucked into the vacuum of space or being on the hook for a million dollar trip back to Earth.
  - bawolff 6y ago
    I'm going to guess "misbehavior" here means being politically inconvinent. There's also a big difference between a small portion of people on work visas who can work their way up to full citizenship, and nobody having citizenship or the possibility thereof.
- FabiansMustDie 6y ago
  There's an irony here. It's almost as if the code is a parody of the unwritten one we have in the U.S, albeit more on the nose. > So a weak elected legeslative body and a strong indirectly elected executive with very few checks on their power. Weak elected legislative body (Congress) and a strong indirectly elected executive with very few checks on their power (the president). > Under the Code, living and working in the Mars Colony is a privilege, not a right. All those who come to the Mars Colony will be permitted to stay under a license. That license is revocable. Similarly, all real property is held by the Mars Colony and leased to individuals or companies working in the Colony. Misbehavior results in losing the right to remain within the Colony. It's a very roundabout way of saying: you can live in the U.S, but we can send you to jail and remove your rights as we wish. Similarly, your assets are tied up as collateral, that will be collected and liquidated if we decide to revoke your rights. Misbehavior is a "Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go" ticket.

Damn that's dystopian: > A Citizens' Council of seven members, similar to a Board of Directors, will be popularly elected. The Citizens Council does not, however, manage day to day operations of the Colony. That task is left to a governor, who is appointed by the Council for a single, non-renewable six year term. So a weak elected legeslative body and a strong indirectly elected executive with very few checks on their power. > Under the Code, living and working in the Mars Colony is a privilege, not a right. All those who come to the Mars Colony will be permitted to stay under a license. That license is revocable. Similarly, all real property is held by the Mars Colony and leased to individuals or companies working in the Colony. Misbehavior results in losing the right to remain within the Colony. Fun. If you lose your license do you get a berth on the next shuttle or are you exposed to the elements? This sounds less like the best laws and more like some of the more dystopian laws. Its basically a company town where you are not allowed to own property, don't have rights and are exiled if you step out of line. Luckily the whole thing is bullshit. Nobody is on mars yet and nobody has adopted this. Easy to make laws when you don't yet have power.

f6v 6y ago
> Under the Code, living and working in the Mars Colony is a privilege, not a right. So just like coming to US on a work visa. You loose your job - you’re out immediately.
- vinay427 6y ago
  Yes, that's how a non-permanent visa works in just about every country. Some offer grace periods, but your residence there is still seen as extending a privilege.
  - f6v 6y ago
    The grace period is a major differentiator. Germany gives 3 months if you're on a Blue Card. That's plenty to find a new job. And btw, Blue Card can be exchanged for unlimited residence after working there for 21 months.
- wernercd 6y ago
  Except being "out" of the US isn't being chucked into the vacuum of space or being on the hook for a million dollar trip back to Earth.
- bawolff 6y ago
  I'm going to guess "misbehavior" here means being politically inconvinent. There's also a big difference between a small portion of people on work visas who can work their way up to full citizenship, and nobody having citizenship or the possibility thereof.
FabiansMustDie 6y ago
There's an irony here. It's almost as if the code is a parody of the unwritten one we have in the U.S, albeit more on the nose. > So a weak elected legeslative body and a strong indirectly elected executive with very few checks on their power. Weak elected legislative body (Congress) and a strong indirectly elected executive with very few checks on their power (the president). > Under the Code, living and working in the Mars Colony is a privilege, not a right. All those who come to the Mars Colony will be permitted to stay under a license. That license is revocable. Similarly, all real property is held by the Mars Colony and leased to individuals or companies working in the Colony. Misbehavior results in losing the right to remain within the Colony. It's a very roundabout way of saying: you can live in the U.S, but we can send you to jail and remove your rights as we wish. Similarly, your assets are tied up as collateral, that will be collected and liquidated if we decide to revoke your rights. Misbehavior is a "Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go" ticket.