Customer Reviews

The Development of Outer Space: Sovereignty and Property Rights in International Space Law

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a prepublication reviewer I found this new book by Tom Gangale informative, interesting and provocative and the published version is a welcome addition to any space enthusiast's library. This well-organized, authoritative and readable work offers a lucid introduction for readers who are approaching space law for the first time, and helpful integration and commentary for those who are already acquainted with the field. "The Development of Outer Space: Sovereignty and Property Rights in International Space Law" guides readers through a labyrinth of incomplete and sometimes conflicting treaties and laws. It introduces a fascinating cast of characters including superb statesmen and jurists, earnest advocates, visionaries, entrepreneurs, and occasionally the misguided or ill-informed. Much of the material is inherently controversial. His approach is certainly "no nonsense" and he is not the least bit shy about revealing his personal views, but his treatment struck me as fair and even-handed. Staying a course between wishful thinking and defeatism, Mr. Gangale proposes a convincing strategy for government, law, technology and private enterprise to draw-on space based resources to ameliorate if not solve resource problems on Earth.

Thomas Gangale's work on sovereignty and property rights in international space law represents cutting edge scholarship on these topics. While scholarly, the book is imminently readable and witty. I highly recommend this book to readers who wish to understand the history of outer space law, who want to know the inside story on the demise of the Moon Treaty, who anticipate the issues that older launching states will face with newer launching states making headway in space, and who seek to learn the challenges that human groups living and working elsewhere in the solar system will pose to the political economy of the Earth. Gangale's vision foresees a transformation in the ecology of capitalism - a subject bound to generate both heat and light.

Thomas Gangale's recent 2009 book entitled The Development of Outer Space: Sovereignty and Property Rights in International Space Law is a unique niche interest work worth the read for those who are fascinated by the prospects of multiple nations settling human outposts on celestial bodies' off-Earth.

Gangale provides critical yet constructive analysis of other international legal commentators on property rights in space. The primary thesis is focused on the premise that technology development is the barrier to outer space development, not the current state of international space law and treaties.

The book writer reviews the Moon Treaty at length discussing various aspects of property rights and the theory of "the common heritage of mankind." He takes a critical look of the writings of others in this legal niche and enables the reader to consider an alternative view to other commentators. Gangale is specifically critical of The Space Settlement Prize which seeks to propose American federal legislation requiring the recognition of extraterrestrial real property claims as flawed.

Gangale advocates inclusion of China in international space regimes so as to further embed the nation into current space operational legal regimes. He advocates an interplanetary political economy based upon market forces and advocates the adoption of the so-called Regency of United Societies in Space.

The author notes that "we have yet to become a true spacefaring civilization; we are merely a space-capable civilization." There is an acceptance of the technocratic model for initial development of outer space. He notes the need for balance between the "technoeconomy-technocracy" dichotomies associated with a push-pull relationship that this reader found an extremely interesting insight on the rapidly growing national space program efforts around the world and within the American civil and commercial space sectors.

While this book is not for everyone, it certainly is worth the read for anyone having a strong interest in space law and the economic development regimes of the nascent space economy coming rapidly in the 21st Century. To those with the niche interest, I say buy this book. It will make you think.

I have had the pleasure of taking a graduate level space policy and law course in my pursuit of a masters degree. I find it disturbing that someone with the background that Gangale has still has the ability to misinterpret so many of the policies and treaties in force and not considering the time period in which they were designed and what the original policymakers were trying to do. Before I read the book, I was warned that only chapter 2 was worth reading and to not waste my time with the rest of the book. I cannot leave a book unread so I read the entire thing. I truly wish I had not.

Like one of the other reviewers stated, there are more than a few personal attacks in the book and it really does distract from anything positive that Gangale might contribute. When I read a book, I prefer the book to not express the author's political bias (unless of course it is a book where that is the entire purpose.) [...]. The ones that in particular bothered me the most were what I believe to be his misinterpretations as well as his inability to articulately state what he believes should be done. If Gangale does not know, he should not be afraid to state "I don't know" instead of talking in circles. [...]

PS : Does anyone else think it is strange that the only 5 star reviews on Amazon at the time of this review come from Marilyn Dudley-Flores, Ph.D., who is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Astrosociology Research Institute, as well as Albert Harrison who is on the Board of Directors of the Astrosociology Research Institute? Now this does of course cover the general subject of astrosociology, however Gangale is the Deputy Executive Officer of the organization.

I do feel bad about this review since I know Tom, Marilyn, and Al, and I participate in astrosociology, but people really need to avoid this book. Sorry Tom.

"The worst thing about Gangale's work is that it is fundamentally mean-spirited and humorless. Indeed his only stab at wit is a racial put-down that falls flat. Even the few good points that he does make, such as the one concerning the excessive criticism that some space advocacy organizations have aimed at NASA, are lost in a swamp of political posturing and personal insults."

[....]

--Taylor Dinerman
Monday, August 3, 2009