Summary
- Star Trek famously introduced a post-scarcity future in which Federation citizens no longer need to use money or work to live.
- However, the need for money in storytelling has confused this concept, from the use of Federation credit to the Ferengi's favorite currency, latinum.
- The Star Trek storytellers have avoided addressing this specifically in canon, but context makes it possible to understand the economy of the Federation.
There are many scientific concepts in Star Trek that are both fantastic and difficult to understand. For one thing, warp drive technically doesn't violate the laws of physics, but it is far more fantasy than reality. Transporters have a logic to them too, although it's a fair debate whether Kirk and the gang don't technically die and are reborn every time they beam somewhere. But the one scientific concept that Star Trek storytellers often avoid is how the Federation's economy works.
The characters often say that they don't “use money anymore,” and yet they still use modern economic terms, and whether it's Federation loans or gold-pressed latinum, there is still currency. How does it all work? For good reason, it's never fully explained in Star Trek canon. The development of the United Federation of Planets, or at least the United Earth, as a currency-free zone dates back to Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future. When developing Star Trek: The Next Century, he was much more committed to the idea that his utopia was a post-capitalist one. (Even though the Big Bird of the Galaxy himself was so concerned about his money, he took his lawyer with him to the studio lot.) Still, he created the Ferengi, which was originally hated by fans, as a harsh criticism of “greed is good.” “Mentality of 1980s America. Nevertheless, based on the conclusions drawn from the series and films, a picture emerges of what the Star Trek economy looks like.
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Seth MacFarlane is an avowed Star Trek fan and appeared in a guest role as an unfortunate engineer in two episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise. He later created The Orville, an homage to Star Trek that, while carving out its own identity, is imbued with the kind of positive, humanistic vision of the future that Roddenberry wanted to develop. Like the people in Star Trek, the Orville crew comes from a place where money is literally no object. In more than one episode of The Orville, characters explain how “wealth” still exists in their society. Instead of trying to get money “to buy houses and sandwiches and stuff like that,” people get rich through their reputation. The people of Earth do not have to work, but if they choose not to contribute to the pursuit of knowledge, the development of inventions, or even an artistic life, their reputation suffers. This also applies to Star Trek, both for those serving in Starfleet and for community service, but it also has its drawbacks.
- The Orville was created as a respectful parody of Star Trek
- “The Orville” is currently available to stream on Hulu and Disney+
- “The Orville” has not yet been renewed for a fourth season
In the third season premiere of Star Trek: TNG, a civilian scientist named Paul Stubbs boards the USS Enterprise to achieve the culmination of his life's work and investigate the relationship between a neutron star and a red giant that occurs every 196 years experienced event. He talks about becoming a respected scientist at an early age. However, instead of resting on his reputation, he felt enormous pressure to excel. Over the course of “Evolution,” he wants the Enterprise to end its experiment despite a threat to the ship that could kill more than 1,000 people on board.
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For the most part, life in the Federation is quite relaxed. The earth is often described as a paradise where private property still exists. Benjamin Sisko's father owns a restaurant in New Orleans, but he apparently doesn't charge his guests for it. The two captains Kirk and Pike also own houses. Kirk had represented one in the Nexus in Generations, which, as he told Picard, he had “sold years ago.” In the series premiere of “Strange New Worlds,” Christopher Pike owns a horse ranch where Admiral April recruits him back into command. Of course, Picard also has his family's winery, which consists of a large house and a large winery.
However, life in the Federation colonies from the era of the original series to the 24th century is much more difficult. In episodes of the series, they are often seen asking Starfleet for supplies and other material assistance. Because they are on the edge of Federation space, they can use Federation credits to conduct business with non-Federation peoples. In the classic episode “Trouble With Tribbles,” Cyrano Jones sells one of the furry creatures to Uhura for Federation credits. Antagonist Harcourt Fenton Mudd received a bounty on his head in “Short Treks”, listed in the Federation credits, and was caught selling “love crystals” for 300 credits each in the animated series.
The credits are probably precisely a measure of value that non-Federation members can use to pay Federation traders or colonists for goods and services. Collect enough Federation Credits and you could buy a replicator or even a starship. In the TNG season 3 episode “The Price”, Picard offers a lump sum of 1.5 million credits to control a stable wormhole in the Barzanian Republic, as well as an annual stipend of 100,000 credits. Although they may be used internally, they appear to be intended primarily for conducting business outside the Federation.
Gold-pressed Latinum is the preferred currency in the Alpha Quadrant
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Latin denominations |
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|---|---|
|
1 brick |
Conversion unknown |
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1 bar |
20 strips |
|
1 strip |
100 pieces of paper |
While the Federation put a bounty on Harry Mudd's head, even their own people didn't want loans. In the Short Treks episode “The Escape Artist”, Tellarite bounty hunters wanted their payment in Latinum. The substance was valuable in the Alpha Quadrant, particularly to Ferengi traders. In its natural state it was a silver liquid like mercury, but was often pressed into gold (which was considered a largely worthless substance on its own). This currency was created for Deep Space Nine and slowly defined over the course of the series.
There were other currencies, such as the “Isik”, but Latinum was universal in the truest sense of the word. Latinum had several names: straps, strips, bars and bricks. The values were not consistent as 100 strips corresponded to a single strip and 20 strips corresponded to a bar. However, the bars appeared to come in different sizes, while the bricks were of a uniform size and shape. When latinum was not bound in gold, it was usually measured in grams and kilograms. In the DS9 episode “Who Mourns for Morn,” one sip of the liquid was said to be equivalent to “100 bricks” of the gold-pressed stuff.
There was no mention of Federation credits on DS9, and Starfleet conducted its business with the Ferengi, the Cardassians, and presumably the planet Bajor in Latinum. It is unclear whether Latinum cannot be reproduced, like the rare dilithium crystals that power power warp drives. However, even if this were possible, the Federation would probably not allow Latinum to be replicated. If they did, the introduction of the rare material would upend the economies of non-Federation planets. It is unclear whether the Federation itself mined latinum or merely accepted it as currency to pay non-Federation personnel on the Deep Space Nine station, such as the Bajoran security forces or Starfleet guests at Quark's Bar.
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In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Kirk makes it clear twice that the Federation has already stopped using money in the late 23rd century. Star Trek: Discovery and Strange New Worlds introduced the idea of a “matter synthesizer”, which is just an early form of 24th century replicators. They are the reason the Federation and Starfleet can no longer care about money. These magical devices can create food, clothing, and just about anything else you can seemingly think of out of nowhere.
Star Trek: Voyager made it clear that mass conservation still applies, as the crew of that ship had “replicator rations.” This device meets people's most basic needs, although it is often claimed that non-replicated foods simply taste better. The economic aspects of “Star Trek” are deliberately vague and relate more to the idea of a world after scarcity than to its reality. It does cause some confusion when you delve deeper into economic theory, but it works for the show. People in Starfleet or civilian service don't need to work to survive, but they seem even more committed to careers than the most office-obsessed corporatists of the 21st century.
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry that began with the 1960s television series of the same name and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon.
Created by Gene Roddenberry
First film Star Trek: The Movie
Last film Star Trek: Nemesis
Pour William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula
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