Comments on: Star Trek Economics

By: John Cowan

John Cowan — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:26:32 +0000

Ben, I don’t think your point about the holodeck is well-taken: holodeck-produced goods aren’t normally consumable off the ‘deck, so you couldn’t put a Real World factory there, though it is suitable for providing some kinds of services. In any case, even holodecks take up space. Location remains relevant, though the ST universe does have a lot more of it.

As for transporters vs. replicators, they are in fact the same technology: scan something down to the atomic level (in defiance, alas, of the uncertainty principle), transmit a full description as bits or qubits, reconstruct the original somewhere else (again, Heisenberg turns over in his grave, but Einstein’s corpse is already in steady revolution, so why not?). Arthur C. Clarke worked out more of the implications, including personal immortality and the possibility of building truly permanent structures, in The City and the Stars.

Transporters do the reconstruction once and in real time, replicators many times and on demand, but the only reason actual people can’t come popping out of the replicator is legal/ethical (it did happen once or twice on Trek Classic). Transporter travel must also be bounded by the speed of light and not truly instantaneous, or the Federation wouldn’t bother with starships — they’d just beam from one solar system to another.

By: Lorenzo Gatti

Lorenzo Gatti — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:54:31 +0000

To expand on Dave C.’s comment, reputation (as an artist, professional etc.), success and influence (at any scale from getting laid to ruling the Federation), organizational rank (with privileges and command responsibilities) and the like are the only eternally scarce resource, since someone is always going to give orders, and every skill has its highest and lowest percentiles.
Therefore social achievements are the main important purpose in the life of most Star Trek universe characters (with the exception of the plentiful fanatics and villains).
As a case in point, only the most gifted Starfleet cadets rise to become commanders of large ships (cf. the beginning episodes of the “Enterprise” series): Starfleet careers are not about making money but about proving one’s worth by being as useful as possible.
There is no reason to believe other “economic” sectors to be different: if wealth is so irrelevant that any kind of enterprise is not really for profit, the main remaining motivation is doing a good job at helping people. It is completely reasonable that this kind of society would consider greed as a perversion, naturally gravitating towards the mentioned gift culture.

By: Gee

Gee — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:59:04 +0000

After reading the other articles, everyone seems to be glossing over one thing of value:
Art

Art and artisans are everywhere. Authenticity is prized. Handmade stuff has value. Which is exactly what you’d expect from a “leisure economy” or “gift economy”, where status hinges on originality and individual expression.

There are multiple episodes where plots revolve around replicated output being distinguishable from authentic articles by some instrument. In other words, the kidnappers want the REAL Jewel of McGuffin, not a replicated one, and they have the instruments that can detect fakes.

There’s also a famous Klingon sword in orbit somewhere (Sword of Kalith?), whose authenticity lead to strife.

And if you have a chance, read Heinlein’s “For Us The Living”. It was the first novel he wrote, but it was unpublished for years. It’s not his best work overall, but it does have significant explanations of “alternative economies” not based on scarcity. I don’t necessarily buy the arguments made, I’m just saying if you want economics in SF, you can find it.

By: Dave C.

Dave C. — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:19:15 +0000

I always figured that the characters who chose to join the “command hierarchy” of Starfleet did so because, in the face of having absolutely every material need (or whim) met instantly, they needed structure in their lives and goals that would challenge them.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:01:15 +0000

And let’s not forget the holodeck.

With holodeck simulations, even location (as in prime beach real estate) is not scarce, because any location that can be found or imagined can be programmed.