Suleiman has little axial tilt, therefore no seasons;
bluejack grows all year round in the cool, dry Uplands;
hunters and gatherers pick it, then regularly rendezvous with nomadic herders who barter for the bluejack;
a caravan takes it to the city about twice a month;
Solar, i.e., the Solar Spice and Liquors Company, exchanges Technic goods for bales of bluejack;
four times a Terrestrial year, a Cynthian ship collects the bluejack;
the Cynthians deliver letters, journals, books, tapes and news;
scientists study the planet, hoping to win reputations;
for the factors, like Dalmady, the post is a first step on a career ladder;
plantations would be more efficient but too costly to be profitable.
Poul Anderson goes into considerable detail about how an interstellar economy works.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Poul Anderson depicts HOW an interstellar economy is very likely to work if we had a FTL drive.
You made an error here: "...plantations would be more expensive but too costly to be profitable." I think you meant to say "desirable" instead of "expensive."
Sean