Opinion: In New Eden, Tariffs are Good for Commerce

It's a relatively undisputed economic notion that tariffs are often a barrier to trade. Increased fees and taxes discourage the flow of goods and services and therefore weakens entire economies. The Daily Poddite proposes, however, that tariffs should not only exist in New Eden, but they should exist to encourage economic churn.


For industrialists, be they buy low/sell high marketers, blockade runners hauling precious goods to distant battlefields, miners, planetary industrialists, or manufacturers, there is often more money to be made in low security and null security systems than Concord protected ones. Alas, piracy and one-sided tactics such as gate camps make trade more difficult than it could be. So, many, including this editorial staff, tend to remain within the relative safety of empire space.

What if pilots could take control of stargates to impose tariffs? Put more simply, what if enterprising pilots, good or evil, could more or less turn stargates into toll booths?

Here's the basic concept:

• Pilots can pay a one-time fee to obtain temporary toll taking rights on stargates in low and null security systems. 
• This could also be a fee paid over time, i.e. every hour or day
• Corporations with sovereignty gain permanent tariff status as long as sovereignty is maintained
• The toll amount can either be a fixed toll set by the CSM or set by those who have toll taking privileges
• Pilots can only gather tolls from traffic moving from the side they control
• Pilots can only control one side 
• Any pilots seeking to use the stargate when it has a toll active will receive a notice:
• The So and So Corporation has enacted a tariff on this stargate. Do you wish to pay n ISK to guarantee safe passage?
• If the tariff is paid, the pilot or fleet cannot be attacked when jumping.
• If the tariff is not paid, the gate camp may attack 

What does this provide to the citizens of New Eden? For one, traders not willing to risk their cargo may purchase their security. Enterprising pirates, many of whom claim to prefer ransoms to destroyed ships, can essentially create legalized ransoms. This would also create a focal point for conflict in low security systems as pirates and non-pirates alike fight over the right to tax their fellow citizens. 

What do you think?