Re: Old saw, sharpened
Did not mean to "dis" science fiction...I have a twenty foot wall covered with such books.
I'm simply pointing out that a writer can make things work that might not work so well in real life. I really like L. Neil Smith's "Probability Broach" series too, and would love to live in such a world, but am still doubtful that pure anarchism could work as well as it does in the books.
Pollution "permits" are actually a pretty good idea, provided it is legal to buy and sell them on the open market.
Obviously, in space air and water would not be considered a "free" commodity.