Economics of Dungeon Crawling

Hoarding of wealth has a deflationary effect on any group's economy. Just as the dwarves after Smaug hoovered up their wealth. The ease of capturing an asset often depends upon its relative value. In fantasy roleplaying games, the amount of money stolen by a bandit gang might be a pittance compared to a warlord's battle chest, which in turn is nothing compared to a dragon's hoard. Each becomes progressively harder to loot for any would be adventurers.

Now, the vitality of an economy is often characterized by the constant flow and transfer of wealth across several strata and several markets. Diversity is a hallmark of a healthy economy, like a healthy ecosystem. How might one get money flowing again when most politicians come directly from the plutocrat clade itself (if not serving it)? Writer Charles Stross has an idea relating to soft paternalism.

For example, ideas could include financing space colonization or fusion commercialization. The problems would be extremely costly, but also offer the greatest investments over the long term.

Asymmetric Charity

Disruption can work in both positive and negative ways. Indeed, the total effects of disruption can be seen further in the future. In an era of networked protests and open source insurgencies, new methods of construction and social collaboration also unfold. If one man can start protests that topple regimes, why can't another unleash an invention that helps millions?

Simplifying Logistics

With climate change threatening to raise sea levels and fossil fuels harder to get, the US Navy's new developments may be cause for guarded optimism. Coastal deployment of such a system (perhaps mounted on special modified cargo vessels) could provide much needed fuel and energy for some countries. Of course, with desalinization a key technology for arid countries (and there will be more of them), having this fuel to power those plants would be a literal lifesaver.

Supervillainy in Action

A certain official in Turkey has been making the supervillain rounds as of late for a number of reasons. From trying to block and hijack domains after a recorded phonecall of his own corruption leaked to use of brutal tactics against protesters against him to even talk of false flags, the election season in Turkey is likely to be full of such drama. Given the history of the region, perhaps a military coup or two may even be in the wings. Besides, it's not like the world could use another geopolitical upheaval...