@feld @mekkaokereke that's why I said it was messed up. It's a completely plausible translation of our current status quo to several hundred years in the future. From a star trek perspective, that's messed up.
Especially because of the Company Town concept being adapted to space.
Rather than taking star trek's hopeful-utopia approach, The Expanse inspires hope from the grass roots. Earthers, Belters, and Martians coming together to intentionally make the world a better place.
(Except Duarte.)