History Main / OneProductPlanet

Well done versions of the trope will explain that a planet is widely known for its major export, while its other industries are neither profitable nor popular. It could also be used for comedic effect, by exaggerating it to the point of absurdity.

Economics aside, a planet has other values: political, cultural, religious, and a military culture. The importance of the export directly influences the importance of the planet. For example, the Planet of Phlebotinum would have a lot of power and an armada protecting it. However, the Planet of sexbot production would lack any economic influence and maybe warrants a fleet of space corvettes for protection. Meanwhile, the Planet of Judges, Robes, and Powdered Wigs would have political clout, but lack economic influence. The amount of protection depends on how much influence they have with their neighbors.

Political center of an interplanetary or interstellar government, it hosts the [[{{Adminisphere}} legislative and administrative buildings and a coterie of bureaucrats, politicians, lobbyists and diplomats]]. As such, the characters are always holding discreet meetings and negotiations and the halls are filled intrigue (and possibly backstabbing). The [[ShiningCity gleaming towers are the apex of culture and power]], but they also harbor [[DecadentCourt the rot of decadence and corruption]]. This world is highly valued, so expect it to be well protected...unless no ships are available for whatever reason. Capitals of various space Empires tend to be [[CityPlanet highly urbanized]].

Offers [[MinovskyPhysics scientific curiosities]] and unusual matter (monopoles, antimatter, mini black holes), or a site of strange astronomical happenings (such as wormholes or black holes). If extra-terrestrial life is rare, then worlds with alien biospheres would be of interest. Scientists and corporations would love samples of strange matter, or get a chance to observe such [[NegativeSpaceWedgie strange phenomenon]].

Center of mass production. Presented as [[NightmarishFactory industrial nightmares]], with [[PollutedWasteland polluted skies]] and [[MegaCity large]] [[IndustrialGhetto crowded cities]]. Its products can include technology, but it's often less than state-of-the-art. Focused more on [[TheEngineer production/engineering]] rather than research. Often ruled by tyrants or a [[OneNationUnderCopyright corporatocracy]].

Grows crops and raises animals. There are typically two types:
#[[AgriWorld Worlds that only produce foodstuffs]] to feed places that can't produce enough subsistence, such as urbanized worlds or space stations. Not much value, except if the [[CripplingOverspecialization importer is totally dependent on them]]. Then the planet becomes an AchillesHeel. Often rural in nature, but hydroponic bays and protein vats are not unheard of. Can be large tracts of cultivated land, or water farms on oceanic worlds.
#Planets which harvest an [[AppliedPhlebotinum important crop that has unique attributes]]. Such flora or fauna could be used for medicinal uses, especially if it's a drug. Then it would be more profitable than a world that exports beef. Such farms tend to be jungle or death worlds.

Such worlds are usually peaceful, but could become unstable if the political situation changes. The local folk are [[CultColony religiously devout]], originally settling such worlds to seek ascetic lives. The home of many a [[FarmBoy young]] adventurer and military [=/=] mercenary recruit - life on a farm world lacks excitement, and encourages wanderlust. Commonly [[MetalPoorPlanet metal poor]], justifying why they don't have much industry.

Location of dangerous nature that no one visits. Could be a colony destroyed by plague or [[HordeOfAlienLocusts infested by alien locusts]]. Whatever the reason, the planet is [[GhostPlanet no longer of any value]], covered in ruins or wasteland. Only [[ForbiddenFruit adventurers would willingly travel to these worlds]].

Point or area where a [[OurWormholesAreDifferent wormhole]][=/=][[CoolGate stargate]][=/=][[NoWarpingZone minimum hyperlimit]] exist that facilitates [[FasterThanLightTravel FTL transport]]. Vital for rapid transport (unless you want to slog decades across space), and in the cases of a PortalNetwork, a chokepoint.

Exports [[PrivateMilitaryContractors Mercenaries]], coming in two varieties:
# SuperSoldiers, often living in a military culture and/or harsh environment to develop their skills.
# CannonFodder, hired out only because the planet has nothing else to sell.

Along with these, various settings have specialized forces: armour warfare, Special Ops, sapping, urban warfare, etc. Life on these worlds tend to be tough, and often produces [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy prideful fighters]]. Could be ruled under the military or an authoritarian society. Oddly enough in fiction, there are plenty of [[LibertariansInSpace Libertarian cultures]] that don't mind setting up such worlds.

Influence of a Mining world is dependent on what it gathers. A world mining Tin isn't going to be much value. However, a planet collecting Helium-3 (which can be used for fusion reactors) are going to be richer and better protected. Such places can range from terrestrial planets to asteroids to gas giants.

As business concerns, they're [[CompanyTown run by whoever owns the mines]]. Governance varies, but life tends to be hard and people poor. Another good source for military recruits - many sign up to avoid the harsh environment or receive better pay.

In the StandardSciFiSetting, trade is common between star systems. Sometimes a planet becomes so specialized that it focuses on a certain commodity or service. Maybe it's building weapons or providing doctors. Whatever it is, the world trades this resource with other planets, becoming renowned for the export.

This trope isn't about a single {{Planetville}}; It focuses on the big picture on how individual worlds interact with each other. Subtrope of PlanetOfHats, though any location (an asteroid, small moon, space colony) can serve as this. Compare/Contrast SingleBiomePlanet.

Economics aside, a planet has other values: political, cultural, religious, and military. The importance of the export directly influences the importance of the planet. For example, the Planet of Phlebotinum would have a lot of power and an armada protecting it. However, the Planet of Toasters would lack any economic influence and maybe warrants a corvette for protection. Meanwhile, the Planet of Judges, Robes, and Powdered Wigs would have political clout, but lack economic influence. The amount of protection depends on how much influence they have with their neighbors.

Political center of an interstellar government and a place of intrigue. The [[ShiningCity apex of culture and power]], but also of [[DecadentCourt decadence and corruption]]. Highly valued, expect the world to be well protected...unless no ships are available for whatever reason. Capitals of various space Empires tend to be [[CityPlanet highly urbanized]]. Also the center of the vast [[{{Adminisphere}} bureaucracies]] governing the stars.

* ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'': Interstellar travel relies heavily on Gates. During Jinto's and Lafiel's adventures, they visit a Factory asteroid (producing Antimatter) and a Strategic planet, help enforce a planetary Blockade, and later come across a rather civilized Penal world.

* Parodied in "The Didactics of Mystique" by "Flash Richardson" (Grant D. Callin).[[note]]The title is a takeoff on the Childe Cycle novel ''Tactics of Mistake''[[/note]] Interstellar civilization is falling apart because each world offers only one profession, and there are far less inhabited worlds than needed professions.

* ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'': the eponymous planet is a Phlebotinum Monopoly, with Giedi Prime a Factory world, Ix and Richese are Science worlds, Tleilax is a Biological Science world, Caladan is noted for Farming and Fishing, Kaitain is the Capital, Salusa Secundus is ostensibly a Penal colony but also a Military world. Tupile is a Service world, providing protection for exiled families. Both Ix and Tleilax cross over with Underworld in that much of their science borders on the illegal and probably would have led to them being sanctioned if not for their products being ''that'' useful.
** Ginaz is a Military world, training swordmasters for the various Houses. Swordmasters of Ginaz were instrumental during the Butlerian Jihad.
* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'':

* In ''Literature/HonorHarrington'', The Manticore System serves as a Gate, housing the Manticore Wormhole Junction which provides Manticore with a lot of economic clout.

* In the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'', Komarr serves as both Gate and Strategic for Barrayar since it contains the wormhole route that is the ''only'' connection that Barrayar has to the rest of the galaxy. The Hegen Hub is a more general Gate. Beta Colony is Science (of almost all varieties), Jackson's Whole is Underworld Service and Earth is Cultural Capital.
* In ''Star Guard'' by Creator/AndreNorton, Earth, a poor backwater latecomer to a galactic civilization, exports soldiers for combat on primitive or more advanced worlds (the military units are referred to as "Archs" and "Mechs" respectively).
* In Alan Nourse's ''Star Surgeon'', each species has a specialty, and Earth's is medicine; this sets up a story in which the hero is a nonterrestrial doctor who faces prejudice in his attempt to succeed in the Terran-monopolized interstellar medical system.
* Dirigent in the ''Literature/DirigentMercenaryCorps'' series has its entire economy organized around supplying two things: [[PrivateMilitaryContractors Professional soldiers-for-hire]], and weapons.
* An InvokedTrope in Creator/HarryHarrison's ''Literature/ToTheStars'' trilogy, which has a Big Brother-like Earth lording it over interstellar colonies set up to be totally dependent upon each other. Since each colony requires numerous goods (which they are never allowed to stockpile) each made only on one of the other colonies, it would be impossible for a revolt to succeed unless every colony did so at once. [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression Which they do.]] Not only are the planets set up this way, but their cultures are also custom-designed to reinforce this setup.
* In ''Literature/EmpireStar'' by Creator/SamuelRDelany, Comet Jo's homeworld exists only to produce a plant called plyasil. Everyone living on the planet is either involved in plyasil production or in supporting the people who produce the plyasil.

Where a [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Weapon of Really Mass Destruction]] is housed. Whoever controls the superweapon can decide the fate of the galaxy. In SpaceOpera, this is the site of a [[FinalBattle climactic battle]].

* Fiorina from ''Film/Alien3'' only has a closed down prison inhabited by a few prisoners who won't leave. ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' implied that anets with breathable atmospheres were rare due to the effort they went to [[{{Terraforming}} terraform]] Acheron.

Political center of an interstellar government and a place of intrigue. The [[ShiningCity apex of culture and power]], but also of [[DeadlyDecadentCourt decadence and corruption]]. Highly valued, expect the world to be well protected...unless no ships are available for whatever reason. Capitals of various space Empires tend to be [[CityPlanet highly urbanized]]. Also the center of the vast [[{{Adminisphere}} bureaucracies]] governing the stars.

** Now that being said, the vast majority of planets in the Imperium are classified as Civilized Worlds. Which mean that they are or are mostly self-sufficent and produce at least some goods of various types for export.[[TropesAreTools But they don't get as much attention as fighting to protect a strip mall in the war torn future isn't nearly as compelling.]]

* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' features this with Quesh. The ''one'' reason the Empire and the Republic are interested in this planet? The Quesh Venom can be refined into useful adrenals. This is also the only reason that the Hutt Cartel is expressing any interest in the planet as well.

** Earth serves as the Capital, though oddly enough unprotected in many movies. It, along with Mars, also has Shipyards. Risa is a Pleasure Planet, Rura Pente is a penal world, and there are various {{Unobtainium}} mines, Big Dumb Objects, Forbidden locations, and Exotic places. Memory Alpha is a Library world for the Federation, though we only saw it during construction.

** When Kalgan is introduced in "Literature/TheMule", it is as a [[PleasurePlanet "producer of pleasure" and "seller of leisure"]]. However, as the Mule [[GalacticWarlord begins his interstellar campaign of conquest]], it becomes his headquarters and political capital. The Mule's VillainousLegacy means Kalgan remains military-focused until "Literature/SearchByTheFoundation", when the Foundation is forced to conquer them.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Comics]]

** In Marvel NOW! Wolverine, Loki and possibly others seem to keep bumping into Planet Sin, a gigantic space casino.

[[folder:Film]]
*''Film/{{Avatar}}'': An example of interstellar commerce with STL craft. Pandora is mostly valued for its Phlebotinum Monopoly, though it has an Exotic Alien society and ecosystem.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'': As with any good space opera, Star Wars provides plenty of examples. Coruscant is a Capital, Bespin and Kessel are Mines, Endor houses a Superweapon, the Death Stars and Starkiller Base ''were'' Superweapons, Geonosis is a Factory world, Tatooine is a minor Underworld, and Yavin and Hoth were strategic locations. Naboo was Blockaded for a while.

** Aargau, first appearing in Marvel Comics' ''Star Wars'' series but referenced in other media with inexplicable frequency, was a banking planet -- in fact, the entire planet was owned by bank.

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

** The Twelve Colonies of Kobol are set up as such. Aerilon is the breadbasket of the colonies. Caprica is the capital and cultural Center. Gemenon is a holy center. Libran is known for its lawyers. Picon has strategic value (the Fleet HQ is located here), and a cultural center since it's used as a [[UsefulNotes/{{Vancouver}} substitute for Caprica in entertainment]]. Scorpia has shipyards, and Tauron is another farm center.
** Following the fall of the colonies, the rag-tag fleet's economy is set up like this. Justified, in that only certain surviving ships were only equipped for certain functions.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has featured many such examples. "Silence in the Library" takes place on a library planet. Satellite 5 is a Service station providing news [[spoiler: and a Capital for the true rulers of the Human Empire]]. Billions of years in the future, Earth is a cultural and historical center.

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'': Earth serves as the Capital, though oddly enough unprotected in many movies. It, along with Mars, also has Shipyards. Risa is a Pleasure Planet, Rura Pente is a penal world, and there are various {{Unobtainium}} mines, Big Dumb Objects, Forbidden locations, and Exotic places. Memory Alpha was a Library world for the Federation, though we only saw it during construction.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' shows us the trope in action. In the episode "Symbiosis", one of the two planets of the week produces nothing but a narcotic which the other planet believes is a cure to a virulent plague (whose symptoms just happen to look exactly like withdrawal). Deconstructed -- the providing planet ''used'' to have a broader commercial base (it was the poorer and less developed of the pair, but still a full civilization), but the profits of the drug were tempting enough that gradually other industries fell out of use over the generations until ''both'' sides were effectively addicted -- the buying planet literally, and the selling planet by being dependent on selling the narcotic to keep society running. The system ultimately collapsed when their technology regressed to the point that they couldn't maintain their spaceships (and the Enterprise declined to enable them by fixing them).

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': Many worlds are known for what they produce to feed to the Imperium's war machine, with Forge worlds producing complex technology from materials supplied by Mines, Agriworlds producing food for [[CityPlanet Hive worlds]], Hive, Knight, Feral and Death worlds providing different kinds of Military forces, Holy Terra being both a holy Capital of the Imperium and the human Homeworld, and Cadia being a Strategic world. [[CrapsackWorld Needless to say]], most worlds serve as [[ForeverWar settings for War]] at one point or another.

* ''VisualNovel/MarcoAndTheGalaxyDragon'' has a place called the enslavement planet. [[SlaveMarket Take a wild guess as to what they sell]].

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has featured many such examples. "Silence in the Library" takes place on a library planet. Satellite 5 is a Service station providing news [[spoiler: and a Capital for the true rulers of the Human Empire]]. Billions of Years in the Future, Earth is a Cultural and Historical Center.

!!!Factory

* Zig-zagged as well in ''TabletopGame/BattleTech''. Many of the various planets in the setting are known for producing and trading a number of goods. It is not uncommon for a planet to export food, raw materials, and consumer goods, for instance, while importing alternative versions of the same to give the populace some variety. At the same time, however, some planets are singularly focused on one product or group of products to a point that is almost comical. For instance, no one goes to Hesperus II to buy foodstuffs, because every single industry on the planet is tied to either supporting the giant Defiance Industries [[HumongousMecha BattleMech]] factory on the planet or ''protecting'' that factory from invading armies. Exaggerated in some fanworks, where even the aforementioned factory, a diverse manufacturer of war materiel, is stereotyped as producing nothing but [[MightGlacier Zeuses and Atlases]].

* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' features Manaan, an ocean planet that is the Galaxy's sole source of the medical substance called "kolto" (the naturally produced precursor to the synthetic bacta from the movies).

* ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'': Trantor is the Capital, Terminus serves as Science/Library as well as another Capital. Many other planets are Developing/Strategic due to their location and influence, as well as Mines. Pleasure and Farm worlds are also mentioned.
** This varies through the series. At the beginning, Trantor is a CityPlanet which essentially produces government and nothing else, while Terminus initially exists to produce an encyclopedia. Later on after the collapse of the empire and rise of the Foundation, Trantor has become a largely rural planet with no products to speak of [[spoiler: other than the psychics who secretly run everything]] while Terminus has become a much more rounded capital planet. It's implied, although never really explored by the books, that other planets must also have become more balanced; the farm worlds which used to supply Trantor with food no longer having anywhere to export their produce to, for example.

#Worlds that only produce foodstuffs to feed places that can't produce enough subsistence, such as urbanized worlds or space stations. Not much value, except if the [[CripplingOverspecialization importer is totally dependent on them]]. Then the planet becomes an AchillesHeel. Often rural in nature, but hydroponic bays and protein vats are not unheard of. Can be large tracts of cultivated land, or water farms on oceanic worlds.

* ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'': the eponymous planet is a Phlebotinum Monopoly, with Giedi Prime a Factory world, Ix and Richese are Science worlds, Tleilax is a Biological Science world, Caladan is noted for Farming and Fishing, Kaitain is the Capital, Salusa Secundus is ostensibly a Penal colony but also a Military world. Tupile is a Service world, providing protection for exiled families.

** Rocket Raccoon of the GuardiansOfTheGalaxy is from Halfworld, which was founded as a medical/psychological patient dumping ground. To ensure the patients' security and comfort without requiring anyone to actually have to treat them, the creators uplifted some typical cute and cuddly animals to sentience to act as their orderlies (though the animals weren't told their purpose), Rocket being one of them.

** The Twelve Colonies of Kobol are set up as such. Aerilon is the breadbasket of the colonies. Caprica is the capital and cultural Center. Gemenon is a holy center. Libran is known for its lawyers. Picon has strategic value (the Fleet HQ is located here), and a cultural center since it's used as a [[StargateCity substitute for Caprica in entertainment]]. Scorpia has shipyards, and Tauron is another farm center.

!!![[TheFinalFrontier New World]]