Institute for Trade and Welfare V. GuBu Technologies

Occuring in Year 164, this court case involved the Institute for Trade and Welfare charging the defendant, GuBu Technologies, with counts of planetary trade monopolisation. The result was GuBu Tech being cleared of all charges and a significant political power boost to large corporations.

Cases
Charge 1: Monopoly of trade and influencing political dynamics of a Class III civilization on Z24I2MP

Charge 2: Monopoly of trade by controlling tariffs on planet Z23M4SP

Charge 3: Monopoly of system trade and control in Zone 24 by installing orbital defence systems on six planets and moons

GuBu Tech's leading attourney, HuFu defended against all three charges. The first charge was based on the argument that a miniroty Class IV civilization was indirectly waging war against the Class III civilizations on the same planet by controlling the entire orbital defence network of the planet. HuFu argured that the use of the orbital defence system was to protect the security and trade interests of its customer. The customer was technologically and financially qualified to make the purchase, and that rights of ownership should not be limited based on the technology level of the surrounding civilizations if it is no direct threat to their advancement. In fact, HuFu argued that the increased protection and trade of the planet would help these civilizations advance more quickly.

The second charge involved GuBu Tech charging a 20% tariff on all imported and exported goods for the planet Z23M4SP. This deal was negotiated prior to the completion of the defence network, but a change in the planet's majority political affiliation was met with an upsurge in movement against corporate greed and control. HuFu argued that since most trade to planet Z23M4SP was done by merchants without militarized cargo ships, GuBu Tech was fronting the security costs for trade to and from that planet. Upon activation of the defence network, space pirate raids have fallen tenfold, and trade to the planet increased over four fold.

The third charge involved the installation of a total of six orbital defence networks on the planets and moons of Zone 24, four of which did not have permanent habitations. This resulted in a majority of available territory in the system being under the defence of GuBu Tech satellites. The Institute for Trade and Welfare argued that in addition to previous count of trade monopoly on Z24I2MP, the overall economy of Zone 24 would cease to be a free market economy due to the domination of GuBu Tech. HuFu argued that the principle of free trade allows each planet to decide which defence system to contract, and GuBu Tech satellites simply outcompeted the rest with quality and price. Adhering to a free market philosophy, HuFu further argued that installation of defence structures on uninhabited planets had little to no effect on the political dynamics of other inhabited planets in the same system.

Conclusion
Since GuBu Tech was cleared of all charges, several precedents were set. First is the idea that a single political faction can control a planet by affording the services of contracting an orbital defence network. Second is that a corporation can set security tariffs on planetary imports and exports. Third is that corporations can exact control of uninhabited planets and moons through the installation of orbital defence systems.