Trekinomics

[C5]

This discussion turned out to be more instructive than I should it would . Interesting data on econmical systems here.
However, could we try to get back on the original topic ? The economical system of the Federation is a huge blank in every series, and it would be interesting to extrapolate something coherent

[KNIGHT]

calguard66,

You are right about the academic philosophy of Communism. What I was addressing was the real world use/perversion of the concept of Communism which is very different than its counter part in academia. Most people don’t know the true meaning of Communism. If you look at what I said with that knowledge, it suddenly makes more sense. Ok?
Maybe we should refer to socialism, as practiced in Russia, as Leninism. Leninism is in reality a perversion of socialism and communism.
On second thought, maybe we shouldn’t do that. Most people would think we were talking about the Beatle’s idealistic lead singer (may he rest in peace).

C5,

You’re right. We have gotten horribly off topic.

P.S. I haven’t had this much fun sense may days in Political Science class at college

[Morticutor_UK]

Although the economics of ST provide for physical safety and growth {food, goods, books, all the computer time you could ever need} I always got the impression that it is merely a tool for allowing people to grow and concentrate on more ethical and personal issues {getting over failed romance, revenge, that kind of thing}.

If you're talking about conflict between states {whatever kind of state the Federation is}, then you have inherent intolerence between races and species fo people, you have conflicting ideals of how to achieve a goal {such as the Maquis or the scientists who wanted to take Data apart}, and the people who have to grow beyond something that could damage them in teh same way that the scientist woman destroyed the Crystalline entity because it killed her son.
After all, the Federation places great emphasis on individuality and puts some great powers in individual hands in order to achieve their best.

And as for Starfleet Command's serving psychotropics to the upper ranks, I always saw that as the problems of an elite controlling a state. This is, I suppose, why Starfleet Captins have such wide latitude in their actions - they keep it real, as it were, and forces people to decide between discipline and what's right {a la First Contact}.

Brilliant comments on Communism, by the way. It's nice to hear people actually get it right

Anyway, that's my two credits...

[calguard66]

That's how it was used in the fUSSR's case... but that's really just random fate. "Leaders" use various belief systems to prop up their power... religion, capitalism... in this case it just happened to be communism.

As for Trek... there has to be some way to redistribute economic capital, raw materials and finished products. Even if the goal is no longer to "make profit" you still need some way to track economic exchange. You also need a medium to track exchanges with foriegn entities... esp those who ARE interested in profit. Enter the Federation Credit.

Now... as for how the Federation works. I really can't see a centerally managed economy working with the apparent internal autonomy each planet has. I think individuals are free to amass as many credits as they want as fast as they can... or to gather none at all, live on a "basic subsistance allowance" and contemplate their navel under a bhodi tree.

The perceptions, goal and attitudes have changed... not the way macroeconomics works. It just works with a few different assumptions.

Originally posted by KNIGHT
calguard66,

You are right about the academic philosophy of Communism. What I was addressing was the real world use/perversion of the concept of Communism which is very different than its counter part in academia. Most people don’t know the true meaning of Communism. If you look at what I said with that knowledge, it suddenly makes more sense. Ok?
Maybe we should refer to socialism, as practiced in Russia, as Leninism. Leninism is in reality a perversion of socialism and communism.
On second thought, maybe we shouldn’t do that. Most people would think we were talking about the Beatle’s idealistic lead singer (may he rest in peace).

C5,

You’re right. We have gotten horribly off topic.

P.S. I haven’t had this much fun sense may days in Political Science class at college