Denkenberger comments on Governments Might Prefer Bringing Resources Back to the Solar System Rather than Space Settlement in Order to Maintain Control, Given that Governing Interstellar Settlements Looks Almost Impossible

[Denkenberger]

Interesting post. See here for some calculations on sending back value from other stars. See here for why there may be permanent lock in of values. Though this would not be interstellar governance per se, I think it does work against your argument.

[David Mathers]

Thanks. I agree that if you can really lock-in values very strongly, that will reduce the incentive for governments to want to remain in direct control, and so make a settlement strategy more likely than it otherwise would be.