Re: FCT, Small is Relative.

Niall spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

> Wouldn't free Caltech be a rather powerful entity for its size as it
seems
> to have good natural resources and large populations?

If dependence on petroleum as a source of energy has been overcome 
and alternate types of plastics invented, then Texas oil might not 
matter. The internecine US wars that led to and followed the NAC 
takeover probably hurt silicon valley. Plus, by separating, they have 
a need to fund a bunch of things they never had to before (embassies, 
etc.). So it is debatable whether FCT would actually be an economy 
out of scale to its population or not. I think this is a 'what's your 
preference' situation. I'm not saying they are poor, but I don't 
think relatively speaking, that they'd be as powerful as they would 
in today's world if they were separate and united. But they'll always 
be colorful....
 
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Thomas Barclay		     
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