When we discuss colonies, we have to think of it similar to how you might think about entire countries. Sure, communities will be run a lot like a city or town you see on Earth. However, entire colonies will take up a lot of space and by this point, they will have their own food and water system. Colonies will have their own communities as well and could involve thousands of people. If we make it to colony level, we know life on Mars is flourishing. Mostly because, in order to reach this, we will have figured out not only how to survive here. We will have found a way for life on Mars to be easy and comfortable, the same as on Earth.
[Image via Joe Burgett/Stable Diffusion]Does this mean we will have a similar capitalistic system where money will be used in exchange for goods and services? While possible, it is more likely that trades will be made instead. It might also come down to a need to offer some type of service in place of another. One colony may have a great way of purifying water and adding different tastes to it. While the other has been able to artificially alter the taste of crops to taste exactly like meat products from Earth. This exchange of services and goods will benefit entire colonies. Life on Mars will be easier to deal with using this ideology rather than paying with money because everyone’s needs will be addressed like this.