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A review by sjlee
Trekonomics: The Economics of Star Trek by Manu Saadia
4.0
I am a fan of Star Trek and I love economics. This book was designed for people like me, and I really liked it.
Manu Saadia is a true, blue Star Trek fan. A small portion of the book is dedicated to Saadia's journey into the fandom and the impact it had on him growing up. What stuck with the author in particular was the optimism. The Federation, home to most of the humans, vulcans, and Starfleet, is a utopia of sorts. In Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine the initial premise Gene Roddenberry created was expanded upon. The Federation is a society without money, or the need to work. Everyone's basic needs are provided for and people are free to pursue their passions and potential.
Saadia suggests that the world of Star Trek actually holds together and is based upon real principles that exist within our own economic systems. Essentially, the Federation has gone through an exponential growth in productivity. This expansion has freed up tremendous amounts of human labour, but also drastically reduced the cost for all goods. At the heart of this revolution is the replicator. The replicator creates seemingly free materials. The shortage of food or other basics is now a thing of the past. Energy is near ubiquitous with fusion power now routine.
I have a handful of objections to Saadia's conclusions. There are still a number of goods that cannot be provided for in limitless amounts. Other Star Trek technologies, like the transporter, might make these shortages irrelevant though. Perhaps the most heartwarming message of the book is that the world Star Trek paints is not hopelessly utopian, but perhaps the ultimate destination of certain social and technological advancements. The author is clear, the world of the Federation is a series of choices and attitudes and cannot develop naturally. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in Star Trek, post-scarcity economics, and economics in general.
Manu Saadia is a true, blue Star Trek fan. A small portion of the book is dedicated to Saadia's journey into the fandom and the impact it had on him growing up. What stuck with the author in particular was the optimism. The Federation, home to most of the humans, vulcans, and Starfleet, is a utopia of sorts. In Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine the initial premise Gene Roddenberry created was expanded upon. The Federation is a society without money, or the need to work. Everyone's basic needs are provided for and people are free to pursue their passions and potential.
Saadia suggests that the world of Star Trek actually holds together and is based upon real principles that exist within our own economic systems. Essentially, the Federation has gone through an exponential growth in productivity. This expansion has freed up tremendous amounts of human labour, but also drastically reduced the cost for all goods. At the heart of this revolution is the replicator. The replicator creates seemingly free materials. The shortage of food or other basics is now a thing of the past. Energy is near ubiquitous with fusion power now routine.
I have a handful of objections to Saadia's conclusions. There are still a number of goods that cannot be provided for in limitless amounts. Other Star Trek technologies, like the transporter, might make these shortages irrelevant though. Perhaps the most heartwarming message of the book is that the world Star Trek paints is not hopelessly utopian, but perhaps the ultimate destination of certain social and technological advancements. The author is clear, the world of the Federation is a series of choices and attitudes and cannot develop naturally. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in Star Trek, post-scarcity economics, and economics in general.