system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[The Expanse] How does Earth control how much water The Belt gets?

Why don't the ice haulers fly directly to the belt, where evidently demand is highest? And why wouldn't Belters make their own water or at least recycle it to near 100% efficiency?
gpt
>Why don't the ice haulers fly directly to the belt, where evidently demand is highest? And why wouldn't Belters make their own water or at least recycle it to near 100% efficiency?




Earth based companies own the planetary rights to mine asteroids and collect water from them.


Earth based companies have legal monopoly, because they payed UN for the rights.


UN uses its armed forces to enforce the monopoly.


The Earth based mega corporations also refuse to provide technology to Belters, which would make them less reliant on Earth. Because then they would have less influence, and their profit margins would decrease.