There are two separate questions, really:
1) Which services are required in this collection of habitats?
2) How are they organized in this corporate state?
On the first question, I suggest Falling Free and especially
Diplomatic Immunity by Bujold, plus GURPS THS High Frontier
and the Alliance/Union books by C.J. Cherryh. Some remarks
in no particular order:
* If you have scores of free-floating habitats, there will be
shuttles, shuttle accidents, and debris. Both space traffic
control and accident cleanup will be high priorities, not
just rescue, it wouldn't do to have a forgotten piece of
some accident hole the Zoo a century later on its return
orbit.
* Stationkeeping for the habitats is another issue. And who
does maintenance on the thrusters of every little tin can?
* Can rotating habitats be spun down? Does that ever happen
for real? Can they get a 'wobble'? Who balances moving
large masses?
* Safeguarding life support will be a high priority. Life
support inspectors might have stronger legal enforcement
powers re search and seizure than ordinary cops ...
* Each habitat will have some life support, but do people
live and work in the same places, and what does that mean
for closed cycles? Will there be regular transfers of
clean and dirty water, food and biological waste between
habitats, and who balances everything?
* Are residents allowed to own pets? What if one escapes,
or if a dog makes a mess?
* Large habitats might have the population of a city, but
they are ONE structure. What happens if a part needs to
be refitted/modernized? Do people own their apartments,
do they rent them, or could they perhaps own rights to
a certain type of apartment, but without the right to
stay in the same place for their lifetime?
Either way, janitorial services and their administration
will be a big issue, and the office which has to shift
10,000 flats and their occupants from sector A to sector
B will have great political power. ("No way you're going
to move me next to John Doe. I want to talk to your
supervisor.")
Regarding organization, just two points:
* Eight years from every citizen could be enough to staff
the entire public sector, from military and police to
the tax offices. But there will be a need for some to
'go career', it wouldn't do to have a senior admiral
with just 8 or 12 years experience.
* Some types of public service will be more popular than
others. For an eight-year term, is it OK to say 'tough
luck' or do you need compensations? Do people in
childcare get more or less than organic waste disposal
specialists?
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