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Originally Posted by astrotech
I don't think there would be the same incentive for colonization of other planets as there was in the colonization of the Earthly continents because the driving force behind the colonization here was that it was easy and cheap to ship the mostly agricultural spoils from the colonies of the "New Worlds" to the colonial investors in the old world. If the moon was made of gold it would still be too expensive to go get it and ship it back.
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Bringing back, say, silver from Peru, or spices from India was extremely expensive.
Also very risky, lots of lives were lost on the way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrotech
As far as "Escaping religious persecution" as an incentive to colonize. Well religious persecution was just one of several methods the old world powers used to "incentivize" prospective colonists. Arrests and imprisonment, military drafts, kidnapping and of course slavery were some other methods used to get live bodies into the harsh world of the colonies. Pretty much nobody really wanted to colonize in the beginning. It was a harsh and dangerous life an many of the first didn't survive the first ten years. And everybody back in the old world knew this. But still the old world powers pressed the issue because of the profits expected from the spoils, mostly cash crops such as sugar (for alcohol), tobacoo, coffee, and some grains for cattle and horsefeed as cattle and horses were the powerhouses and transportation of the old world.
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I agree it may have have been a harsh and dangerous (and boring) life among the first colonists.
However, I don't think people needed much extra incentive.
Just the adventure was enough to persuade many.
Plus, of course, the promise of liberty and vast lands waiting for an owner...