It seems this thread about the Federation's economy has been hijacked by a debate over replicators.
"Hijacked"? That's a bit harsh. When it comes to resource allocation in the 23rd/24th century, replicators are at the very core of the discussion.
It's been mentioned several times behind the scenes that replicators definitely have limits. This is why they still need mining, trade relations, and the Utopia Planitia shipyards.
I would even challenge that replicators may only be able to synthesize organic compounds (food and clothing) and simple molecules (water). So, for instance, when Picard orders his Earl Grey, the replicator might provide the tea, but the glass or thermos is transported from the galley (or forged from a finite supply of raw materials on board that can't be replicated). Having said that, I would welcome any examples to the contrary, I just can't think of any off the top of my head.
The existence of strict replicator rations on Voyager further implies that replicated products can't appear from nothing; finite raw materials must be involved and the Laws of Thermodynamics (mainly, energy is lost in the process) still apply.
No debate on the physical material limitations of replicators, but so long as their is a large supply of deuterium or some other replenishable raw material, the replicators can just keep on chugging at any scale and quantity.
As for examples of large-scale replicators,
Memory Alpha speaks true on the concept of "Industrial Replicators" as being more than glorified Earl Grey Tea delivery systems:
An
industrial replicator was a large-scale
replicator, typically used for construction purposes.
In
2373,
Pascal Fullerton claimed that
Risa was an illusion created by industrial replicators,
seismic regulators and a
weather control network. (
DS9: "
Let He Who Is Without Sin...")
Later that year,
Odo discovered that a saboteur overrode the security blocks on the industrial replicator on Level 17 of
Deep Space 9. He was unable to determine what was replicated because the
memory core had been wiped. (
DS9: "
By Inferno's Light")
In
2374, following the outbreak of the
Dominion War and the capture of Deep Space 9, the Cardassian government gave fifteen industrial replicators to Bajor. (
DS9: "
Sons and Daughters")
Which leads us to the economy. While the details are often vague, Roddenberry's intent is not. He clearly meant to show a society that does not base its health or long-term success on economic growth. By the 23rd/24th century, a cultural shift has taken place whereby values like individual growth and sustainable lifestyles trump the desire to horde materials or accumulate wealth for its own sake.
Roddenberry's "vision" is not at debate here. What is at debate are Picard's and Kirk's canonical (and not-vague) assertions that no money exists in the 23rd and 24th century which are strongly contradicted by equally canonical (also not-vague) proof of the opposite notion, and the existence of Gold Pressed Latinum which, if replicators can replicate anything, how is that Ferengi currency not materially worthless as well?
FYI: This is not fantasy.
Yeah. It is.
Current day economists contemplate and debate the feasibility of switching to a global, post-capitalist, zero-growth economy as an important aspect of reaching a sustainable society.
Economists can contemplate and debate all they like. Until their ruminations become feasible in practice, it remains all that it is, a leftist utopian fantasy that invariably fails to take into account that sticky little business called human nature and the need to hoard resources. Some would call it self-absorbed, others would call it survival. Regardless of the nomenclature, to assume otherwise is, by definition, fantasy.
I've always viewed the Federation as something more analogous to the European Union rather than the United States. That is to say that all members agree to a unified code of justice, basic sentient-life rights, and common defense, but other aspects of society like economies and trade are largely left to individual members. As such, we may often see one member world that participates in the common Federation Credit currency, and another which does not (just like the Euro).
Since Roddenberry conceived of the Federation in TOS Trek long before the EU, and 2 of its 3 primary characters are from the former United States (Kirk from Iowa and McCoy from Georgia), it's far more American in analogy.
I agree that TNG might flirt more with EU-like socialist/globalist principals, but it, too, was conceived and produced in the mid-late 80's, 5-10 years before the EU was constituted in the early 90's.
