Political Climate in Gundam somewhat unrealistic

[asaqe]

Now I dont have a problem with Mechs being immpractical, but the issue is how the political situation of the future is very different from today's time. In other words, capitalism doesnt have a strong power hold in the future looking at how Corporation and Globalization control a good chunk of the Earth. Lets discuss this shall we?

In order for space colonies to exist, there are factors; the supply and demand factor and situation. In the predicted future by many, Corporations are said to in the future have mining colonies with slave driver ish conditions (Many Futuristic FPS's like to do this a lot) to provide for the people on earth/customers. Yet in Gundam Universe, the government maintained a strong force in constructing the space colonies. Who pays for the equipment and materials for the colonies, who prepares the shuttles that will send many to a new home up in space? The corporations. The fact corporation doesnt have a firm stranglehold on colonies just doesnt make sense.

Another issue is the Earth government, the leaders seem more tradition in ruling, a unified body while may happen the leaders are politicians who are free of any corporate backing. In politics, corporations and Capitalism is a dominating force in the government where ever its democratic or not. Many US politicians get support from major corporations to finance political campaigns and such. Shouldnt corporations play a bigger role in gundam rather then building mechs and instead trying make Earth the own and even having private colonies.

And final issue is how Corporations generally bow to a faction's wishes. I mean if you are part of a company who developed a powerful mechanized armor capable of defeating entire fleets, you would use it for your own insideous means. While settle for the small things when you can hit the jackpot and attempt to take over the universe.?

[DropDeadEd]

Originally Posted by asaqe

Now I dont have a problem with Mechs being immpractical, but the issue is how the political situation of the future is very different from today's time. In other words, capitalism doesnt have a strong power hold in the future looking at how Corporation and Globalization control a good chunk of the Earth. Lets discuss this shall we?

In order for space colonies to exist, there are factors; the supply and demand factor and situation. In the predicted future by many, Corporations are said to in the future have mining colonies with slave driver ish conditions (Many Futuristic FPS's like to do this a lot) to provide for the people on earth/customers. Yet in Gundam Universe, the government maintained a strong force in constructing the space colonies. Who pays for the equipment and materials for the colonies, who prepares the shuttles that will send many to a new home up in space? The corporations. The fact corporation doesnt have a firm stranglehold on colonies just doesnt make sense.

Another issue is the Earth government, the leaders seem more tradition in ruling, a unified body while may happen the leaders are politicians who are free of any corporate backing. In politics, corporations and Capitalism is a dominating force in the government where ever its democratic or not. Many US politicians get support from major corporations to finance political campaigns and such. Shouldnt corporations play a bigger role in gundam rather then building mechs and instead trying make Earth the own and even having private colonies.

And final issue is how Corporations generally bow to a faction's wishes. I mean if you are part of a company who developed a powerful mechanized armor capable of defeating entire fleets, you would use it for your own insideous means. While settle for the small things when you can hit the jackpot and attempt to take over the universe.?

There's a name for this: We call this fiction.

[flamingtroll]

I would assume the setting is UC, if it is for CE it will be the same since the creators can just make up new names for identical parts.

In order for space colonies to exist, there are factors; the supply and demand factor and situation. In the predicted future by many, Corporations are said to in the future have mining colonies with slave driver ish conditions (Many Futuristic FPS's like to do this a lot) to provide for the people on earth/customers. Yet in Gundam Universe, the government maintained a strong force in constructing the space colonies. Who pays for the equipment and materials for the colonies, who prepares the shuttles that will send many to a new home up in space? The corporations. The fact corporation doesnt have a firm stranglehold on colonies just doesnt make sense.

The primary reason for constructing space colony in the gundam universe is to solve the problem with overpopulation on earth. So it is not solely a enterprised based solely on profitablility alone. Slave driver-ish mining colony in truth is very much a 80s cyberpunkish sci-fi fantasy that will not likely to be the real thing.

Colonies are constructed as co-venture between many corporations and I would assume that like all civic projects today , while the government usually has the ultimate authority, they are pretty much ran and maintained by private coporations.

Even in UC coporations have a very big influence in polictics, just look at Anaheim Electronics and its influence in 0083 up to CCA.

Another issue is the Earth government, the leaders seem more tradition in ruling, a unified body while may happen the leaders are politicians who are free of any corporate backing. In politics, corporations and Capitalism is a dominating force in the government where ever its democratic or not. Many US politicians get support from major corporations to finance political campaigns and such. Shouldnt corporations play a bigger role in gundam rather then building mechs and instead trying make Earth the own and even having private colonies.

AEUG from Zeta is pretty much financed by Anaheim Electronics, from equipment to MS to maintanence. There are no indication of the earth rulers being free of coporation backing. Just because they dont' wear the Tshirt of the companies that finance their campaigns doesnt mean that they are not back by companies. We dont' even get to see enough of the politicians' faces in gundam, let alone what they do. But implications are there of coporate influences

And final issue is how Corporations generally bow to a faction's wishes. I mean if you are part of a company who developed a powerful mechanized armor capable of defeating entire fleets, you would use it for your own insideous means. While settle for the small things when you can hit the jackpot and attempt to take over the universe.?

Does Lockheed Martin ever plan to take over the world? No? A Coporation makes money, taking over the universe and maintain it cost money. "Bowing" to a faction's wish and sell them tons of mobile suits so they can kill each other is the way to make money.

[Tak]

Originally Posted by asaqe

Now I dont have a problem with Mechs being immpractical, but the issue is how the political situation of the future is very different from today's time. In other words, capitalism doesnt have a strong power hold in the future looking at how Corporation and Globalization control a good chunk of the Earth. Lets discuss this shall we?

Capitalism, if you mean private businesses, actually do not have as much hold in today's world as one may think. America and Western Europe are considered as successful capitalist countries, but even Western Europe are partially socialist. China, for example, is a successful economic powerhouse where the government is still mostly Socialist (not communist).

Originally Posted by asaqe

In order for space colonies to exist, there are factors; the supply and demand factor and situation. In the predicted future by many, Corporations are said to in the future have mining colonies with slave driver ish conditions (Many Futuristic FPS's like to do this a lot) to provide for the people on earth/customers.

You mean in the fictions written by many, corporations are said to have slave driverish conditions in future colonies. Please remember, up until now, government agencies are still pretty much the only entity capable of initiating space exploration and possibly in the near future, colonization. Our current space station for example, is anything but a private venture.

Originally Posted by asaqe

Yet in Gundam Universe, the government maintained a strong force in constructing the space colonies. Who pays for the equipment and materials for the colonies, who prepares the shuttles that will send many to a new home up in space? The corporations. The fact corporation doesnt have a firm stranglehold on colonies just doesnt make sense.

Why do you presume that corporations have a firm grip on the world? Sure, they might have their influences, but there are territories in this world where corporate influence is only secondary to the national well-being. Of course the government will be the primary agency to resolve problems regarding over-population. You don't suddenly expect corporations to care for us, do you? I don't want to live in an era where the power to resolve our well-being rest in the hands of private corporations without a (neutral) regulating force known as governments.

Originally Posted by asaqe

Another issue is the Earth government, the leaders seem more tradition in ruling, a unified body while may happen the leaders are politicians who are free of any corporate backing. In politics, corporations and Capitalism is a dominating force in the government where ever its democratic or not. Many US politicians get support from major corporations to finance political campaigns and such. Shouldnt corporations play a bigger role in gundam rather then building mechs and instead trying make Earth the own and even having private colonies.

You are obviously not putting other countries as part of your equation. Japan, for example, is very socialist. China runs on a hybrid system, but still mostly socialist. America is pretty much the only country where private corporations are allowed to run amok, and even openly defy the government. The US system is simply different, and the US does not define how the world should run.

Originally Posted by asaqe

And final issue is how Corporations generally bow to a faction's wishes. I mean if you are part of a company who developed a powerful mechanized armor capable of defeating entire fleets, you would use it for your own insideous means. While settle for the small things when you can hit the jackpot and attempt to take over the universe.?

Well, because corporations do generally bow to a government's wishes. Boeing, Mitsubishi, Dornier, etc. are perfect examples where a significant portion of their contractors are governments! If any of these corporations one day secure the designs for a powerful Gundam, do you not think the government will immediately put a restriction on the exportation of them? Governments are there to regulate these affairs and to prevent corporations from using them for their 'insideous means'.

Moreover, corporations are there to 'MAKE MONEY', thus contracting governments, making weapons and supporting wars are what they want the most!

- Tak

[shaolo]

Originally Posted by flamingtroll

Does Lockheed Martin ever plan to take over the world? No? A Coporation makes money, taking over the universe and maintain it cost money. "Bowing" to a faction's wish and sell them tons of mobile suits so they can kill each other is the way to make money.

Anaheim Electronics, We make MSes for anyone for the right price.

[RedFrame]

Isn't there is Merchant of Death that makes, sells weapon and MS for earth force ?
And the Milltary officer seems obey his order eventhogh djbril is not a Millitary commander nor do he have ranks :/

[4Tran]

Governments are inherently more capable of making vast expenditures, especially on projects with no appreciable return for very long periods of time, than corporations are. The only reason why corporations seem to be so powerful now, is because governments allow them to be. It's quite possible for a government to simply nationalize a corporation's assets, thereby tipping the balance of power.

Russia is an extremely good example of a government doing pretty much just this. It's not as if a corporation has any real way to defend themselves against this sort of thing.

[srb]

Azrael was one of the top dogs in the Earth Alliance. His companies were responsible for a lot of the weaponry wielded by the EA, including all GAT machines.