While it might not be a quick way to the penthouse, operating a
free trader can have many rwards other than the financial ones.
Even if I concede that economies of scale work to this extreme.
Chances are pretty good that the reason they *look* so profitable
is because of hidden and overt subsidies. A megacorp would really
have a hard time keeping up with a good, responsive, free trader in
an open market.
Being the proud owner of my own business, I can now carefullly
choose my cargo mix so that I just *have* to take the annual
inspection on Efate and visit the spas. Only when I do it for
the good of the ship, it's a company expense--not something that
comes out of my salary. Same thing for that newfangled heuristic
library software (and the X-rated interspecies holo chips). They
are now business expenses, not personal ones.
Being a business means I can get various goods and services at
wholesale.
I get to hobnob with the owners and stockholders of those mega-
corporations on an even social footing (sometimes) even though
I only make .01% of their income.
I get the joy of actually *owning* the ship, it's cargo (sometimes),
and the assets of the business. I also get the joy of outfoxing
those self-important Vilani businessmen who only think they know
how to run things. :=)
Thus a lot of the cost of the "good life" is hidden behind the
veil of the business. Being an entrepreneur is an ancient, honorable
tradition. It is the small business that provides most productive
work, most jobs, and most actual financial activity, in a healthy
market.
If you have a character who wants to ride down the rocky road of
small business encourage him/her/it. It's still true that 30% to
50% of all business fail in the first year anyway.
- --
Richard Johnson [email removed]
Qui custodii ipsos custodes?