In the TNG era, how would someone on Earth (like a average Joe) acquire a freighter or a civilian ship without money?
Just walk up to it and claim it as yours. The unpaid shipyard workers should be pleased that their labours will be appreciated. Starfleet probably gives them medication to ensure that's enough to get them through the day.
So the Orions have been going to the trouble of stealing ships when they could've just asked? Or does it only apply to Federation "members only"?
Why so modest? Why not go to Starfleet shipyards and claim a Galaxy for yourself? It's a post-scarcity economy after all (though how you get the volunteers to actually run said ship, I wouldn't know)
I wonder though. Storylines around quark in DS9 seem to suggest that at least in Ferengi society having your own ship (else than a freigher for business, perhaps) isn't really for "the average Joe". Would it be different on earth ?
According to Picard in FC people don't get paid, they work to better themselves. Or maybe its only Starfleet folks that work for free! lol
^Imagine their indignation when they find out they missed 80 years of pay while others have been payed that whole time ...
I should imagine you have to apply. Say why you want it, why it would be good for you and the Federation as a whole (that is what they work for after all) then your application gets reviewed and if it's approved you get a ship according to what you need.
Oh no.....not again....... I think a lot of the issues here come from how people interpret a "post scarcity economy". The clue is in the name really "post scarcity" means exactly that, past the point where people suffer the consequences of scarcity. Not having a starship is hardly suffering due to scarcity. People on Federation core worlds might have homes, food, clothes and medicine. They may not worry about famine or how their kids will be educated. They do not, however, have individual access to unlimited resources. They are not gods, not yet at least.
By the 24th century a freighter would probably be part of the Starfleet equivalent of the Merchant Navy. There probably aren't any ENT style 'boomers' by the 24th (or even 23rd) century.
Well, on DS9 Kassidy Yates is the captain of a freighter, and she seems to be 100% in control of where she goes and who she hauls for. And her ship seems to be an old Earth ship, with a plaque saying it is an Antares Class and bridge consoles that look to have come from TOS.
yes she was from Cestus III. There is no reason why the Federation Cargo Service should be part of Starfleet. Its bad enough Starfleet cannot decide whether their personnel are explorers or space sailors.
probably the same way they get a house or apartment without money. They go to some department head and request one.
Not sure who you are talking to, but I was just joking around. Obviously it would be utterly ridiculous for people to go claiming ships (much less a galaxy class) on that base (and that's not even considering all military secrets probably aboard).