Vaguely on topic - the novel A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge touches on this subject a fair bit.
potential spoilers follow
Essentially, no spacefaring civilization is stable over long time scales, a culture (the Qeng Ho) get by through predicting which planetary system will have the economy to support refueling an interstellar craft (in the centuries-later future when they arrive). Trade advanced/secret technology development info for said refueling. The story has way more to it, but I loved it as a known-physics-following scifi story. I expect the audience of this site would also love it (and probably, many have already read it)
potential spoilers follow
Essentially, no spacefaring civilization is stable over long time scales, a culture (the Qeng Ho) get by through predicting which planetary system will have the economy to support refueling an interstellar craft (in the centuries-later future when they arrive). Trade advanced/secret technology development info for said refueling. The story has way more to it, but I loved it as a known-physics-following scifi story. I expect the audience of this site would also love it (and probably, many have already read it)