A true corporate state, Morgan Industries is considered backwards by the modern civilizations of the Sufficiently Advanced setting. Founded centuries ago by Nwabudike Morgan, Morgan Industries has systematically exploited its home solar system – mining asteroids, diving for He3 in the gas giants, tapping their magnetospheres for energy, diverting the solar wind, etc., etc. Today, Morgan's Hope is a star system that shows many of the signs of industry – it is well ordered, and efficient. It is also a bastion of libertarian economics through a corporatist lens.
Morganites are devoted to free-market capitalism. They are strongly libertarian in outlook, advocating the right of individuals to make free economic choices, enter into contracts, and hold property. This leads them to prefer democratic forms for society, at least in theory. In practice, they have revived the old distinction between "shareholders" (who have a vote in policymaking) and "employees" (who are generally required to do as they are told). Thus while all Morganites are theoretically equal, the wealthy wield much more social power and influence.
Previously, it was worse – in fact several hundred years after the establishment, the one share, one vote method it used threatened to bring about revolution by those disenfranchised under the system. The corporation changed their method of voting – now shares vote logarithmically (1 share, 1 vote; 10 shares, 2 votes; 100 shares, 3 votes) with each citizen being a shareholder on birth (or completing immigration) with 1 share.
Also, social institutions and customs have evolved to curtail the worst excesses of the system. Debt slavery is still legal, but not practiced. Memetic assault could be used as a tool for business, but it isn't thanks to the widespread Responsible Meme Society (though those visiting Morganite cities claim its far from the case – the level of advertising there can stun a person). Private police and security forces could be littler more than thugs, but the Police and Security Regulation Bureau and competing police rating agencies keep them from devolving into that.
The Morganites are usually willing to deal with any other civilization. They will approach othersoffer trade or contracted services, willing to ensure that both sides benefit. Naturally, the Morganites are sharp dealers and will strive to win advantage out of every transaction for themselves.
Morganites are usually wealthy, in material goods, intellectual property and in energy. They are very good at extracting profit, both from the exploitation of natural resources and from trade with other factions. A stereotypical Morganite is as slick as fresh diamondoid, able to sell vacuum to a Spacer, and make money off routine transactions with the Union. The same stereotype has that Morganite fulfilling any contract entered into freely and complying with the law, sometimes grudgingly, but complying.
Much of the Morganite economy is devoted to luxuries and consumer goods. As a result, they are unable to maintain large military forces. In any case, individual Morganites make poor soldiers and usually try to avoid military service. As a result, they hire much of their military from outside their civilization and are always on the lookout for reputable mercenaries.
Children are an economic liability under the Morganite social system. Children need to be fed, clothed, and educated at their parents' expense, and by the time they reach adulthood they become "independent" (and so make no economic return to their parents). As a result, Morganite communities tend to have relatively low populations. Because of this, many Morganite parents, club together forming creches for savings and economies of scale.
The Morgan way of life is more opulent than most. All but the most chronically unsuccessful Morganites enjoy spacious living quarters, plenty to eat, comfortable clothing, sophisticated entertainments and objets d'art. Naturally, these vary in quality depending on price. An ordinary citizen lives much as a middle-class American might have done before the great disasters on Earth. The CEO Morgan Industries and his fellow tycoons live lives of unimaginable luxury.
In theory, the Morganites have their elected officials to administer the colony charter. In practice, most decisions of any importance take place in corporate boardrooms. Since almost all citizens hold stock in one or many corporations, they have at least some voice in public policy through shareholders' meetings. Of course, the great tycoons hold thousands of times as many shares as any one ordinary citizen, so their influence is considerably greater.
There is a dark side to the Morganites' glittering capitalist utopia. Business competition is almost completely unregulated, and involves all manner of underhanded dealings. Meanwhile, those who are unwilling or unable to hold a job receive no charity, and are likely to be forced out, if not supported by a "productive" citizen. Some citizens manage to survive only by taking dangerous or degrading work (medical test subjects, prostitutes, gas mining, and so on). Morganites, regardless of class, can't rely on anyone but themselves and their family. And sometimes, not even them. Even those in the upper echelons don't rest easy, because there is always someone waiting to pull you down. That stereotypical Morganite mentioned earlier is always scheming, looking for some personal advantage in every transaction..
Every society in the core rules can be found in Morganite controlled space, especially the Hospitallers, High Society and Hyperevolutes. All of the unofficial societies can found there as well.
Common Name: Morganites
Benefit: Morganite at level 4, which can function as either Finance, Politics or Media, and it may be improved as a Profession, but at the cost of one point of Potential for one level. They also receive a +1 to Metatech to persuade, and resist persuasion thanks to growing up in one of the most ad soaked societies in the galaxies.
Inspector Status: Equivalent to any other Morganite police force.
Core Values: Profit and Liberty
Profit is what drives Morganite society and individuals. They can use this to resist attempts to give up attempts to profit in transactions, or not create opportunities to profit.
Liberty keeps the Morganites from ever completely uniting – it also keeps them out from under other people’s thumbs. They may make alliances, even owe favors or take orders from outsiders, but they never give up their ability to act on their own. Alliance is acceptable; reliance is not. Morganites use this CV to avoid attempts to take away their self-reliance. It also helps Morganites resist any attempt to remove what they see as basic rights, and lets them argue more effectively against restrictions that might be put on their actions or selves.
| Civilization | Bio | Cog | Meta | Nano | String |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morganite | 1-5 | 1-6 | 1-8 | 1-5 | 1-8 |
