Say the society of planet X has developed an advanced medical technology, and has opened 'clinics' on other planets to offer their services to others. People from many planets either go to these clinics or go to planet X to access these medical services. This is planet X's primary source of revenue. Would it be plausible for this planet to be in a state of interplanetary war at the same time? (not at war with all planets, just certain ones)
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
Yes, I think it's perfectly plausible. Some countries (like ours) send doctors and medical supplies and other things to help countries all over the world, yet these same countries have wars that need to be fought. Perhaps not fighting them would mean these countries (planets) would have less freedom to travel freely, to help the other countries, etc. I think it's a logical idea.
Lynda
Posted by AeroB1033 (Member # 1956) on :
The part I'm having trouble swallowing is not the having a war part, but rather the idea that medicine is the planet's primary source of income. Surely it does other trade?
I'd also want to know how it keeps its technology exclusive enough for this to work.
[This message has been edited by AeroB1033 (edited October 07, 2006).]
Posted by Sara Genge (Member # 3468) on :
Perfectly possible. I think there are many examples of countries that depend on imports and who are at war at the same time. In your case your planet depends on importing "people" and the transportation problem could be roughly the same as the one in countries that depend on foreign oil, food, etc Actually, keeping transportation lines open is a traditional reason for starting a war
Posted by mikemunsil (Member # 2109) on :
I think it would be more plausible if it were not the MAIN export but were socially important to the planet. I also think that if you make medicine an integral element of the book, that you had better take into account some medical realities: 1) widely distributed and isolated populations are at risk of pandemics when contacted by another widely distributed and isolated people 2) medicine as we know it (Western medicine) is highly dependent upon the infrastructure that supports it
Think on these two facts for a bit. They imply that your exporting culture has to deal with the risk of pandemics in the host popuation caused by the exported medical staff, and potential pandemics in their own population caused by returning medical staff. It seems to me that when medical teams are exported, that it must be a one-way trip.
Further, the exported team and its technology must be capable of standing on its own or working well in the local infrastructure.
There are some easy ways around this; just throw some Handwavium pellets and gloss over the difficulties. The thing is, though, this is science-fiction and you had better pay attention to the technical issues or you readers will desert you.
[This message has been edited by mikemunsil (edited October 07, 2006).]
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
Eh, I have a storyline where Northern Korea achieves stability for bringing cloning technology to fruition. The main cloner dude is shunned by the scientific establishment, but I'm playing with him getting the Nobel Peace Prize for the accord he reaches with the U.S.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
My plausibility issue isn't that the world's in a war -- maybe the war is on the far side from its trading partners -- but that thing about trade. It depends on the cost of transporting things. Surely it would be cheaper to make the meds on the planet where they're going?
Maybe not. Maybe transport is really cheap. Handwavium works!
Posted by sojoyful (Member # 2997) on :
These responses are really helpful. I've already made some changes to the backstory as a result. Thanks guys!
quote:Surely it does other trade?
Yes, of course!
quote:Surely it would be cheaper to make the meds on the planet where they're going?
I never said they didn't. And it's not medicine - more like a technique/procedure, a technical knowledge. There's nothing to transport except some equipment and personnel.
However, you do bring up excellent points that need to be considered.
Handwavium? Never! I'd be ashamed of myself.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
If the basis of the medical treatment is a drug component that can only be made (cheaply, at least) on that planet (say it's from some exotic plant that doesn't grow well anywhere else), then it makes sense as the mainstay of their interstellar trade.
If all they're exporting is expertise, then it doesn't make sense to send personnel and materiel. All they need to transmit is data.
As for the logistics of interstellar trade, if you're saying that it's economically feasible to ship tons of live meat from one planet to another, then you can ship pretty much anything that's plentiful one place and scarce somewhere else.
And it's not medicine - more like a technique/procedure, a technical knowledge. There's nothing to transport except some equipment and personnel.