Star Trek Economy

[thenumberthirteen]

Basically humanity has moved beyond the pursuit of personal wealth and rather strive towards knowledge and self fulfilment. Those of you familiar with Maslow's Hierarchy of needs may understand where I'm coming from.

My understanding of this mainly comes from the Episode of TNG where the Enterprise finds a bunch of people frozen from, if memory serves, the early 21st century. One of them was a rich guy with lots of investments, and Piccard had to explain to him that there is no money. The Federation has a few Socialist/Communist undertones in this regard.

EDIT: Oh my God! We're discussing the economics of the Star Trek universe on the internet. This is actually the nerdiest I have been all week. Thanks!

 

[aPod]

Money in its current context is basically just a place holder as it is. So instead of bringing a wagon full of goods i can go to a store with some cash and buy some food for cash (goods) which can then be exchanged for other goods.

So for Trek universe I would just assume they've gotten rid of the place holder and gone back towards old commerce. Goods for Goods. Labor for Goods. Labor for Labor.

 

[oplinger]

o.o; Sorry if I give off that impression. I'm just curious about what limitations they set down in the lore. If people can do anything of any sort, then there must be incredible works or architecture and art. They just tend to avoid showing much of that, you know?

They probably do, but since the show is never really about that sort of thing. Nor the games, they kind of leave it out.

Some of the scene intro images are really nice though. I'd have a look at them. But more or less it's all left out. For various reasons I'd assume.

 

[Richter_Kleiss]

EDIT: Oh my God! We're discussing the economics of the Star Trek universe on the internet. This is actually the nerdiest I have been all week. Thanks!

That is awesome. lol.

 

[FoolKiller]

Ok, self improvement, sure. People just naturally try to better themselves in the future? What about entertainment? Do people have video games (or something similar) anymore? Or what about copyright, and piracy?

Well, the piracy part is not applicable on Earth. If nothing costs anything, you can just replicate it. And if you aren't in it for gain, then why not give credit to the creators, so copyright shouldn't be an issue either.

However, we have been talking about Earth within the Federation and not the entire Star Trek universe. We must remember that other planets outside and inside the Federation have economies that still function on a monetary system. The main universal currency referred to in these instances is gold-pressed latinum.

 

[ffian1]

I know this is a little on the necro side, but I love this topic. I think about it and discuss it on a regular basis with guys at uni.

While I don't have anything particular to add, I figured I'd say thanks for affirming that at least 3 people agree with my ideal vision of utopia.

If we all tried harder to have an attitude towards bettering ourselves for no better reason than making things better, the world would be a great place. I do my best to live my life like that as much as possible.

 

[KingofMadCows]

Just because there's no government backed money doesn't mean that there's no money. I would not be surprised if there are tons of people out there printing their own money and trying to use it in exchange for goods and services.

Also, we do see Federation citizens with private property. Sisko's father owns a restaurant. I'm guessing that the waiters working in his restaurants are apprentices who perform menial tasks in exchange for cooking lessons.

 

[Comando96]

Well, I was wondering if people get anything for their efforts. If everything is provided, it's just for the fun of it?

OK to put it in perspective... look at modern day multi-millionaires. They could have everything they could possibly have on an individual level, but they don't stop (unless inherited in which case its pick and mix) they use what they have to improve their standing more and more and more.

Though there is no physical need for improvement there is the physiological impact that competition has, either competition of your peers or competition of whole races expansion and the threat of your whole species life.


Just to say, I know nothing of Star Trek other than the very most recent film and I clicked on this by chance, but the answer to "why expand" seems common sense.

 

[Zaik]

Lol so they evolved *backwards* to a barter system?

I mean, I get that replicators pretty much shit anything out more or less for free, but running off a barter system seems silly.