Extraterrestrial Liberty: Can It Be Planned?

Abstract

The very phrase ‘planning liberty’ seems a contradiction in terms. Yet, there are ways, through physical architecture, legal systems and social norms, that an environment can be created that maximises the potential for individuals to both have a sphere of activity in which they can enjoy non-interference and in which they can maximise their potential to realise their goals. In space, the environmentally extreme conditions warrant a search for all means to maximise liberty in its various mani- festations against the extreme tyranny-prone nature of the environment. An example of a liberty-driven technological innovation is a reliable, plentiful and easily donned spacesuit that maximises the potential for freedom of movement in an otherwise lethal environment. Another is the development of fast, reliable spacecraft for moving goods around the solar system that minimise the effects of economic iso- lation and maximise the potential for efficient free trade. An example of liberty- driven administrative planning is free access to all information about oxygen supply and demand to prevent tyrannical control of oxygen supplies. When constituted deliberately around the desire to maximise liberty, there are technological, eco- nomic, political and cultural ways in which tyranny in outer space can be held at bay. I suggest a ‘liberty calculus’ as one way to approach this challenge.