How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Line)
Quote #7
"In any case, whole cultures were built around the idea of the gift, in Malaysia, in the American northwest, in many primitive cultures. In Arabia, we gave water, or coffee. Food and shelter. And whatever you were given, you did not expect to keep, but gave it back again in your turn, hopefully with interest. You worked to be able to give more than you received. Now we think that this can be the basis for a reverent economics."
"It's just what Vlad and Ursula said!" (5.7.102-103)
Two counterbalances to the transnat system are the gift-giving society of the Sufis and Vlad's eco-economics. Neither gets its chance to do its thing in Red Mars, but since both of the sequels have the same page length, we're thinking there's plenty of time later on.
Quote #8
"'Mars is not a nation but a world resource,'" Frank quoted heavily. "They're saying that the tiny fraction of humanity that lives here can't be allowed to control the resources, when the human material base as a whole is so deeply stressed." (7.4.26)
The irony, of course, is that only a fraction of humanity will truly profit from the resources: the transnat owners.
Quote #9
"[Phyllis is] responsible for a lot of this. Pulling in all those transnats with promises of every metal ever put to use—she figured she would be the queen of Mars with all those folks backing her." (7.4.57)
Well, we've heard of the Princess of Mars, but if you're going to go for royalty, might as well go for broke. Too bad she's making her society broke in the process.