Re: [FT universe]

At 22:37 17/09/98 -0500, you wrote:
>You wrote: 
>
>>Are these related to the Ukrainians? ;]
>>
>>Paul "Ukrainian" Lesack
>
>Actually based more off 9-10th century AD Kievan Russ.  In my slightly 
>alternate universe, the split-off of the RH from the former Russia when

>the latter went Commie again was NOT amicable by any means.  

One thing I wonder about the role of the ESU in the FT universe is how
"Communist" are they in comparison to the now defunct USSR?  If we take
China as an example today while it is a nominally communist country it
has
enormous levels of trade with the rest of the world and on the ground
its
far more like unrestricted capitalism these days than communism.
Entreprenuership is encouraged or at least tolerate so I believe.  So in
the next 200 years wouldn't most communist countries have evolved more
towards free trade rather than central planning?  To actually be able to
afford to launch starships and found interstellar colonies they would
need
a very solid economy indeed which presumably requires large volumes of
trade.

I'm intrigued as to how the ESU would differ from the NAC if we
eliminate
old communist economic	policies from the equation.  Do the secret
police
hold sway? Freedoms are more restricted?  The NAC being a more class
oriented soceity has it devolved back to the old ideal of an aristocracy
and their cronies running things?  

Any ideas?
--------------------
Niall Gilsenan,
DIT Cathal Brugha St,
Dublin 1,
Ireland.

ngilsena@indigo.ie
--------------------
The miscellany (Sci-Fi combat games)
http://members.tripod.com/~Cwintel/Scifi.html