Domed to failure
The problem inherent in any state, religion, or corporate sponsored colonisation of Mars will be that unless we are very lucky the social pressures and prejudices of each sponsor will be reflected in the way the Colony behaves.
If the technology succeeds, we would end up with many domes on Mars
- several Islamic based societies (Shia, Sunni, Sufi, etc) The domes will hopefully not be built too close together otherwise hostilities brought from Earth will start even before the paint is dry.
- Balkan Domes. Three at least based on Catholic, Orthodox, and Islamic social structures. It is probable that at least one of these will decide that they should occupy more than one dome.
- Westboro Baptist Dome. They are just going to hate everyone else.
- EU Domes. 27 or 28 domes all designed with different social priorities and linked by tunnels that allow free access amongst dome dwellers. This is of course the perfect design.
- The USA Dome. Mexico is going to pay for this one. It will still trust in God but there will be no agreement on which God. Gun ownership will be a problem and patches for bullet holes will be best sellers.
There will be no UK dome. We are staying where we are. We will of course want to run the banking of the Domes and will set up special off-planet money handling facilities on the Moon to do so.
What could possibly go wrong?