Both the U.S. and (the People’s Republic of) China are trying to establish the first lunar outposts, and it is possible that we will see lunar colonies within our lifetimes. When that happens, do you think there will be a movement towards independence, just as the colonies of Britain, France, Spain, etc. vyed for freedom? Would this be peaceful or violent, and how would either work? How realistic is an independent lunar nation, given the hostile living conditions? What would lunar culture look like? Would it be a mix of American and Chinese culture, or something new entirely?
Or do you think the Moon and other bodies in our Solar System will become internationally run (and protected) areas, a bit like how Antarctica is on Earth?
Skeptical this will ever happen. Climate collapse is speeding up, and therefore a full collapse of humanity (in the nearby future, say 100-200 years) is becoming more realistic. So colonization of other planets or the moon is a race against time, which humanity probably won’t win. I don’t want to sound too pessimistic; this is a realistic view, supported by many international scientific organizations.