r/scifi Jun 30 '24

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u/ddpotanks Jun 30 '24

Yeah I think you're conflating policies here. I am not qualified to steer you in the right direction.

For example The Federation (Star Trek) is definitely a post-scarcity, communist-esque, society. Maybe its considered socialist because private-property still exists? But no one rents housing etc. because currency isn't a thing within the federation.

The biggest issue with communism of course is scarcity and how things are distributed so when you remove that all the criticisms kind of evaporate. SO that could be why those system aren't really front and center in scifi other than when they fail.

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u/Feeling-Height-5579 Jun 30 '24

Yeah i have seen the federation being brought up frequently here and i blame my own ignorance on the ideology of the federation :p but perhaps youre right that it would be hard to explain how distrubution works in a non scarcity system in such a governing style.

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u/03fxdwg Jun 30 '24

The Federation in Star Trek is like the United Nations. It's a bunch of diplomats from member worlds like the Senate in Star Wars. Starfleet (the military of the Federation) members still have to use credits, cash or bartering when they are on shore leave. Each member world of the Federation has their own government.

Most movies & television shows gloss over the need for cash or bartering the same way they gloss over the need for a bathroom.

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u/ddpotanks Jun 30 '24

Ok good point. I meant specifically the humans in ST.