Private sector appropriation of space depends upon a form of extractive capitalism that increases wealth inequality. The aff fundamentally sets us up for the same challenges of poverty, famine and death that stem from capitalism.

Resource Extraction: Many people consider it inevitable that resource extraction will be a fundamental part of space exploration, if not the reason for doing it at all. However, it is worth questioning whether our current mode of extractive capitalism is something we should (shouldn’t ) take with us when interacting with other worlds. As we are finding on our own Earth, resources are not infinite, and if resource extraction is a cornerstone of the structures we build on the Moon and other worlds, we are setting ourselves up for the same challenges in the long-term. Enabling those with the wealth to privately engage in space exploration efforts could exacerbate already extreme wealth inequality in the immediate future. There are possibilities for engaging in a truly sustainable way with other worlds, and even redistributing resources in an equitable way that doesn’t exacerbate wealth inequality. To explore these alternatives and enact them will require conscious consideration when designing policy and robust enforcement mechanisms for their implementation.