That's a cop out. Cash is rarely used in the real world anymore either. When they say no money, they mean no money. Capitalism cannot work in a post scarcity situation anyway.
Federation Credits
- Thread starter Johnny7oak
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That's not what the dialog in the episode indicates. Jake and Nog are clear that humans don't have money and the species abandoned currency based economics. There is no room to wiggle that it was because Jake was a child.
That's not what the dialog in the movie indicates. Kirk tells McCoy and Spock "they're still using money" referring to the 20th Century Earth. Kirk tells Gillian they don't use money in the 23rd Century. Nowhere does he mention paying or that paying for food is odd for him. It's specifically money.
No its not cop out. It's a product of the time the movie was made. BitCoin or other forms of electronic currency were a pipe dream in 1987. Science fiction. Fantasy. There were no debit cards in 1987 or, at least, not in general use. People did not use credit cards to pay for a typical pizza dinner in 1987.
Further, stating that cash money is "rarely" used today is a cop out. Or, at least, a massive exaggeration. Granted you may not carry cash. I do not typically carry much cash. But every store I go to, every restaurant, every brick and morter location I go to has cash registers, routinely takes cash, and has cash clearly visible either in customers hands, in the till, or on the tables in the form of tips.
Yes, the use of cash is diminishing but we still are a long way from cash being "rarely used in the real world anymore."
I still prefer cash, and based upon the people I saw at the grocery store today, many of them do as well.
See, the problem with the "Federation doesn't have money" idea is that they still have to interact with races who do.
When there are many (non Federation) races who *do* still have capitalist notions despite the existence of replicators, being the only guys at the table without money isn't going to work
That's why 'Federation Credits' exist for use in, for example, negotiations for the Barzan wormhole.
But not necessarily on Earth or other Federation member worlds
The OP's suggestion seems plausible to me
When there are many (non Federation) races who *do* still have capitalist notions despite the existence of replicators, being the only guys at the table without money isn't going to work
That's why 'Federation Credits' exist for use in, for example, negotiations for the Barzan wormhole.
But not necessarily on Earth or other Federation member worlds
The OP's suggestion seems plausible to me
Scotty bought a boat in ST VI. Was it an alien boat? 
And Kirk once told Scotty (I think it was Scotty, anyway) "You've just earned your pay for the week".
Then what happens to those who don't have replicators?
Picard's brother, for example. Robert refused to allow replicators in his home or anywhere on the vineyard. So how did they make their living?
And Kirk once told Scotty (I think it was Scotty, anyway) "You've just earned your pay for the week".
Then what happens to those who don't have replicators?
Picard's brother, for example. Robert refused to allow replicators in his home or anywhere on the vineyard. So how did they make their living?
He did. And to Chekov, too.
And indeed, as I said, there are races who have replicator technology but are still capitalist societies. Replicators are not shown to be Federation exclusive.
Thew whole "no money" thing is just bullshit captains say to get out of paying for anything. Here's what they're all actually paid, from FASA's Next Generation Officer's Manual
From "The Doomsday Machine": Scotty, you just earned your pay for the week.
From "Catspaw": Maybe we can't break it, but I'll bet you credits to navy beans we can put a dent in it.
From "Catspaw": Maybe we can't break it, but I'll bet you credits to navy beans we can put a dent in it.
Maybe. And there being some references to buying doesn't mean the no-money things in not true. It has been explicitly stated. At worst there in a continuity error, but this is not different from any other continuity clitches in the Trek.Scotty bought a boat in ST VI. Was it an alien boat?
They can farm their stuff, or their neighbours who farm stuff give some of it to them (as none is worth any money anyway) and they can go to the local replicenter to get anything else they need.
You don't need to have a replicator in your house. And indeed, especially in the early days of the replication technology, many people don't. People go to stores to get stuff today, it is like that. except it is free and replicated.
I forget where the Chekov reference (again it's Kirk saying he's "earned his pay"). I'd like to say either Who Mourns For Adonis or maybe The Apple but someone will likely come here and prove me wrong
The Trouble With Tribbles also sees Chekov and Uhura go shopping, with the implication there is money as she offers to buy the Tribble until Cyrano gives it her for nothing.
money as a medium of exchange predates capitalism by millenia. People would still require wages commensurate to their skills and training, or else why isn't everyone sitting around on the dole?
Who is paying you to post here? People have hobbies and interests, they want to feel useful. And yes, some would do nothing. That's fine too.
So bussing tables at Sisko's Creole Kitchen maybe could be a pastime for someone that likes to smell other people's used bowls of etouffe
But uh.. janitor of the future, that must be quite a hobby.
So bussing tables at Sisko's Creole Kitchen maybe could be a pastime for someone that likes to smell other people's used bowls of etouffe
But uh.. janitor of the future, that must be quite a hobby.
The Janitor is probably Starfleet, or some sort of service that promises expanded benefits over time if he does gruntwork.
Then again, unlike most ex-felons, Paris has a rich Admiral father.
But then we come back to Robert Picard. If he won't have a replicator, does it make sense that he would go somewhere and acquire replicated items for his house? And if there is a alternate source for what you could get from a replicator, what percentage of societies needs are coming from replicators?
There's a scene in DS9 where Joseph and Jake are returning to Joseph's restaurant with bags of various items, with Joseph talking about getting the days cooking started. I believe the implication is that the items are necessary for that cooking. But give that Joseph is running a commercial restaurant, if he had a replicator, why is he going out to get things he needs to cook as opposed to replicating them?
I don't think Joseph has a replicator.
Miles spoke of his family not owning a replicator, but nothing about there being some philosophical reason not too. Maybe they simply couldn't afford one?
Owning a replicator might be a luxury and a expensive one at that.
Given all the statements and observations concerning the existence of money and it non-existence, perhaps the few times character deliberately state that there's no money is the continuity error?
Would a janitor receive the same amount of benefits per unit of time as say a skilled doctor or a celebrated architect? Sound like another form of compensation.
Why is Kirk checking out that guy's ass?
Spock (thinking): "I remember when he would check out my ass."
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