system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[The Expanse] Why is the MCRN so advanced

Coming from just understanding the show and not the books I'm a little unclear about Mar's technological edge.  Just how did they get so far ahead of earth with fewer people and less resources.  Just seems like to me earth would have easily outspent and out produced them once an arms race was started.  Building terraforming technology doesn't seem to lend itself to faster ships and better weapons.
gpt
The UN is dirt poor in this universe since they spend most of their budget on environmental control and one a large unemployed population.

The MCR also have a technological edge because most of their early settlers were scientists and they needed technological superiority to gain their independence.