 what is the 'gift from Earth'?
A Gift From Earth By MANLY BANISTER Illustrated by KOSSIN [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction August 1955. "It is an outrage," said Koltan of the House of Masur, "that the Earthmen land among the Thorabians!" It is our strength and our fortune. By this, he seemed to imply that the Thorabians would rob the Earthmen, which the Lorians would not. If it was impossible to hope for much in the way of metal from the Earthmen, what could one get from them? Speeches were made through interpreters, who had much too quickly learned the tongue of the aliens; hence these left much to be desired in the way of clarity, though their sincerity was evident. Finally, the Earthmen took off in their great, shining ship. In spite of the fact that a terrestrial ship had landed at every Zurian city of major and minor importance, and all in a single day, it took some time for the news to spread. "The Earthman took them in trade—one reason why the new ones are so cheap. In the meantime, however, more things than pots came from Earth. This, for some unknown reason and much to the disgust of the Lorians, was set up in Thorabia.
 capitalism
 capitalism  the printing press  metal, copper wire, and other goods  destruction of the caste system