Belsham is a libertarian core world in the Compact, known for its hands-off governance, thriving independent economy, and adoption of pragmatic self-rule. Originally a colony of the now-failed core world Walton, Belsham assumed Walton’s core world status and protectorate responsibilities after Walton’s collapse. Its capital, Friedman, is named for the Terran economist Milton Friedman and reflects the colony’s deep cultural embrace of libertarian principles.
Belsham played a small but notable role in Compact political history when Douglas Best, then a professor, tracked Marcus Leitman to the planet and executed several arrest warrants against him on behalf of Jefivah.
Frederick Ansel, the founder of Cubism and a key philosophical figure in the Compact Universe, ran an engineering consultancy on Belsham for several years. He believed spiritual leaders should contribute tangible work to society, embodying his pragmatic ideals through his time there.
Appears in: Flight Blade, Chasing Eternity, Suicide Run, Royal Orders