Oh and the lack morals and ethics
I said this elsewhere but in-case ya missed it, we see anesthesia as cheap, but because they lack a proper currency its considered a unnecessary expense during cybernetic augmentation or synthesis.

So they operate on people with procedures more painful then regular surgery without anesthesia.

[quote=AlienBastard]
Are they state capitalists by any chance?
[/quote]

Edit:

"The Lance Union does not possess a normal economic system. Resources and industry is all controlled by the Government. In place of normal currency, citizens are issued points for there work, which can be exchanged for food and other items. The Government tends to keep currency from there closet neighbors on hand however, when doing trading."