Esperante Enterprises was founded in the early 2040s by Julian Grant, a British expatriate living in the Republic of South Africa. Grant was one of the “philosopher entrepreneurs” who caught the world’s imagination in that period, making a fortune for himself while working to improve the lot of some of the world’s poorest people. In keeping with this goal, his firm was less a profit-making enterprise than a self-supporting charity. Instead of specializing in a particular product, Esperante Enterprises specialized in developing pools of very low-wage labor.

In its early days, a typical Esperante Enterprises subsidiary followed a careful strategy. After reaching an agreement with the local government, Esperante would place a plant in a region suffering from chronic underemployment. The plant would be built and staffed by anyone who was willing to work hard, regardless of skills or experience – senior Esperante employees would teach any necessary skills during construction. This process was aided by cutting-edge instructional software, along with construction methods adapted to unskilled labor. Esperante gave its workers more pay, barely, than they could earn elsewhere. Its education and medical benefits were superb, however, and every worker took part in a profit-sharing plan which earned him a potential share in the factory itself.

The products manufactured at an Esperante facility were always chosen for ease of shipping and the ability to earn a modest profit in the developed world. For example, the Esperante plant built in Luanda in 2051 assembled personal-assistance robots for sale to middle-class homes in Europe and the United States. These robots were not cutting-edge technology, but they were cheap and reliable, and more affordable than the “luxury” models being built in the developed world at the time.

Eventually, the factory would be self-sufficient. At that point, the parent company would divest itself of the facility, turning a controlling interest over to the workers themselves… after which the firm would be off to its next venture. By the 2060s Esperante Enterprises was operating plants in over two dozen poor nations around the world.

Naturally, the Esperante business model had only mixed success. Some of the divested facilities continued in operation, adding to the economic base of their host countries. Others failed due to mismanagement, external interference, or simple shifts of the market. Meanwhile, the model never netted large profits for Esperante Enterprises. Julian Grant died in 2094, with only a modest fortune.

After Grant’s death, Esperante Enterprises was taken over by an unscrupulous faction among his heirs. Over the past 20 years, they have continued to seek out pools of very cheap labor, but the corporation is no longer interested in developing local communities. Instead, costs of all kinds have been cut as far as possible. No longer do Esperante factories offer medical, education, or profit-sharing benefits. The largest payments are usually kickbacks to corrupt local officials. Instead of winning the loyalty of employees, Esperante hires mercenaries or local government enforcers to keep the labor force in line.

Where once Esperante Enterprises was known for bringing hope to the world’s poorest nations, now it is known for contributing to corrupt regimes worldwide. The change in Esperante’s strategy was very unpopular; recently (2097) the company had to relocate from South Africa to Lagos, Nigeria. Of course, corporate profits have risen considerably…