On the Econlib web site, political philosophy graduate pupil and UnPopulist editor Akiva Malamet has two insightful new items on the economics and politics of Star Trek.
The primary is “Star Trek: Just Short of Utopia.” Here is an excerpt:
Star Trek is usually seen as utopian science fiction, however an in depth look reveals that the world of the Federation will not be as peaceable and inclusive because it first seems. Following Gene Roddenberry’s dream of a future society missing prejudice and centered on inclusion, social and authorized equality, and egalitarian post-scarcity economics, Trek is well-known for its robust ethical compass and its progressive, even leftist values.
It’s a world I recognize and admire, as a die-hard Trekkie who holds many related commitments. And but the United Federation of Planets does not actually resolve deep variations and divergent pursuits amongst completely different beings. Somewhat, it obscures them with cultural uniformity, propounding a quasi secular humanist, even anti-religious philosophy, coupled with a near-complete transcendence of fabric constraints. This permits the Federation to sidestep the sort of conflicts that actual variations, each in beliefs and in materials endowments, create. Against this, the staunchly financial perspective of the Ferengi makes them higher in a position to deal with laborious tradeoffs and guarantee real respect for range, regardless of their many moral and social deficiencies. But the dialogue can not finish there; within the closing evaluation, we want a synthesis that includes the ethical beliefs of the Federation along with the Ferengi’s pragmatism to discover a stability of the knowledge embodied within the Star Trek universe.
The second is entitled “Star Trek: Markets on the Edge,” and takes a better have a look at financial points within the Trek universe:
Within the Federation, most items and providers are produced by way of replication. The necessity for manufacturing and commerce by way of the division of labour is significantly diminished (although there’s demand for luxurious artisanal, non-replicated items….). Thus, the Federation appears to have overcome a lot of the data drawback round satisfying dynamic, subjective preferences and effectively allocating scarce assets with competing makes use of. It’s an financial system of abundance past even the desires of most economists or sci-fi writers. That is coupled with egalitarian values and the self-important assurance that the Federation is populated by digital saints solely keen on self-actualization and common brotherhood.
Against this nonetheless, outdoors (and typically inside!) the Federation’s utopian core of planets, individuals usually struggle over inadequate replicators, scarce equipment, meals, medication, and different assets. Provide ships are very important for bringing scarce gadgets to distant worlds, and for transporting items that may’t be replicated, reminiscent of dilithium and uncommon medicines….
Notably, whereas replicators can recreate nearly something, it seems that replicators themselves can’t be simply reproduced. Trek by no means tells us if creating replicators is dear. But it’s obvious that replicators can’t be offered simply for all. Opposite to Jean-Luc Picard’s assertion that “…the acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives” the Federation has not overcome self-interest, greed, or different constraints of human nature. It has merely modified the transaction prices of battle by exploiting expertise that severely reduces shortage. When shortage returns, so does battle over assets.
Job allocation provides additional assist to the view that the Federation depends on superior expertise greater than it does a sci-fi model of the New Soviet Man or Rawlsian preferrred idea. It’s unclear how the Federation incentivizes individuals to tackle jobs which might be much less fascinating or whose social significance is much less well-understood….
As they are saying, learn the entire thing!
I made related factors about Star Trek’s remedy of political and financial points in a 2016 article for Be taught Liberty. Like Malamet, I praised the franchise for its dedication to ethnic tolerance and variety, but in addition expressed reservations in regards to the Federation’s seeming intolerance for ideological range:
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry careworn the virtues of tolerance and cooperation throughout racial, ethnic, and nationwide traces. Within the authentic Sixties collection, the bridge crew of the Enterprise consists of an Asian, a Russian (included on the top of the Chilly Conflict), and a black African, at a time when such range in casting was uncommon. The inclusion of a black feminine bridge officer was thought of such an vital breakthrough for racial equality that Martin Luther King persuaded Nichelle Nichols, the actress who performed Lt. Uhura, to remain on the present when she was pondering of quitting.
Star Trek additionally featured the primary interracial kiss on an American community TV present, and—within the Nineties—one of many first lesbian kisses.
The Federation… appears to efficiently incorporate a variety of cultures and life, and provides a mixture of fabric abundance and toleration….
The uncritical acceptance of socialism could also be a manifestation of the Federation’s extra normal troubling ideological homogeneity. Particularly among the many human characters, there appears to be remarkably little disagreement over ideological and spiritual points. With one vital exception (mentioned beneath), few human characters oppose the official Federation ideology, and people few are typically portrayed as fools, villains, or each.
The Federation is a set of racially and ethnically various individuals who all suppose alike, at the very least on the subject of the massive points. The collection’ creators seemingly supposed this as a sign of humanity’s future convergence towards the “truth.” However it’s also topic to a extra sinister interpretation: simply as socialism tends to stifle impartial financial initiative, it additionally undermines impartial thought….
Much more than Malamet, I used to be troubled by Star Trek’s largely uncritical embrace of socialism, and relative neglect of the worth of financial incentives:
[A]t least from a libertarian perspective, the in any other case interesting ideological imaginative and prescient of Star Trek is compromised by its dedication to socialism.
The Federation is not simply socialist within the hyperbolic sense through which some conservatives wish to denounce anybody to the left of them as socialist. It is socialist within the literal sense that the federal government has near-total management over the financial system and the technique of manufacturing.
Particularly by the interval portrayed in The Subsequent Technology, the federal government appears to manage all main financial enterprises, and there don’t appear to be any important non-public companies managed by people in Federation territory. Star Fleet characters, reminiscent of Captain Picard, boast that the Federation has no foreign money and that people are not motivated by materials achieve and don’t interact in capitalist financial transactions…..
The issue right here isn’t just that Star Trek embraces socialism: it is that it does so with out giving any critical consideration to the problem. For instance, real-world socialist states have nearly all the time resulted in poverty and large political oppression, piling up physique counts within the tens of hundreds of thousands.
However Star Trek offers no trace that this may be a hazard, or any rationalization of how the Federation averted it. Not like on many different points, the place the producers of the collection acknowledge that there are a number of respectable views on a political subject, they appear nearly completely oblivious to the downsides of socialism.
Elsewhere in our respective items, Malamet and I each clarify why the existence of replicators and different extremely superior tech does not vitiate the issues related to socialism. He and I often is the solely two commentators to name consideration to the significance of the truth that there isn’t a solution to replicate a replicator, and due to this fact these gadgets change into vital scarce items within the Star Trek universe.
We additionally each spotlight methods through which Deep House 9—my favourite among the many many Star Trek collection—takes a extra crucial view of the Federation than earlier films and collection’ did, together with each its ideological and spiritual homogeneity, and a few elements of its political financial system.
Since I printed my piece in 2016, there have been a number of new Star Trek collection, most notably Discovery, Picard, and Unusual New Worlds. Malamet largely ignores these new collection. However all three take a extra crucial perspective on the Federation than earlier franchise merchandise have. Discovery and Picard each have extreme flaws, typically to the purpose of changing into sprawling, incoherent messes. However Unusual New Worlds is a lot better. It takes a extremely crucial perspective on on a number of elements of Federation ideology and society, most notably its hostility to genetic engineering. I hope to have extra to say about it sooner or later.
Skeptical readers could surprise why we should always even care in regards to the politics and economics of a fictional universe. The obvious reply is as a result of it is enjoyable! I give some further causes on this 2011 article, emphasizing that science fiction and different elements of standard tradition can affect the broader political discourse.