A Federation without money and payment on DS9

[Lynx]

One thing that struck me today is the obviously money-less Federation and how things are paid for on the station Deep Space Nine, Bajor and other places where currency exists.

Take this example: You are an Ensign, straight from Starfleet Academy who has been assigned to Deep Space Nine. After you first day on duty where you did spend your lunch break with replicated food, you go out to have a look at the station. Then you discover some of your colleagues at Quark's Bar.

So what do you do now? You realize that Quark won't give you a tiny glass of water if he's not paid for it, not to mention a Romulan Ale, Raktajino or some other exquistitve beverage. So what will happen?

is the Federation handing out pocket-money or small bricks of latinum to the personel at DS9 so they can mix with the population and have a good time? Must the poor Ensing mentioned above beg his colleagues for an ale or something like that or head back to his quarters and replicate some Bajoran coins?

I understand that Earth and maybe the whole Federation functions without money but what about places where currency is needed?

 

[Kor]

Oh boy, another money thread...

Maybe the officers accumulate resources and make investments on their own, completely outside of the Federation system. Or maybe Starfleet gives them a stipend/allowance of some kind, for use in far-off places where currency is needed.

Kor

 

[Six of Twelve]

I think I've heard them mention "credits", though I'm not sure how that works.

As for Quark and latinum, they have slips of it for smaller purchases and not just bars.

Never heard the Bajorans or the Cardassians mention any sort of currency they might have, though.

 

[DS9forever]

Cardassia has the lek, Bajor has the lita.

A deleted scene in one episode had O'Brien mention "Starfleet Accounting". Quarks overcharged them.

 

[hux]

Currency exists and people get paid. Mystery solved.

The alternative theory is that Federation citizens regularly receive credits for free which are economically worthless yet bizarrely, people like Quark acknowledge them as being of value.

Doesn't work.

 

[Six of Twelve]

Cardassia has the lek, Bajor has the lita.

A deleted scene in one episode had O'Brien mention "Starfleet Accounting". Quarks overcharged them.

What's the source for the names of Bajoran and Cardassian currency.

 

[Shikarnov]

Although Quark -- and presumably other merchants -- isn't asked to pay for rent, maintenance, or power in the traditional sense, perhaps there is still some form of exchange happening. Maybe it's as simple as agreeing to provide X amount of service and product free. That amount is divided among all personnel evenly. A bit like Replicator Rations on Voyager; a very local form of currency.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Said ensign steals tech from the runabout, sells it on the black market, and gambles away the proceeds playing domjot.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Federation officers stationed in places with a capitalist economy are given a stipend for necessities.

Also we saw in Birthright that Riker was owed money at Quark's. It's clearly not forbidden for Federation officers to collect money on their own time.

 

[kkt]

The Starfleet credits that have been talked about from time to time can be exchanged in small numbers for latinum. That's my theory.

 

[Tosk]

What's the source for the names of Bajoran and Cardassian currency.

The lek was mentioned by Paris in Caretaker, but I don't recall if he indentified it as Cardie currency. The lita was mentioned in Necessary Evil.

You realize that Quark won't give you a tiny glass of water if he's not paid for it, not to mention a Romulan Ale, Raktajino or some other exquistitve beverage. So what will happen?

You go to your quarters and use the replicator.

 

[apollo1984]

Other than Paris on Voyager was there any other comments about there being no currency anymore? as there is more currency used during all the shows than not.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

You go to your quarters and use the replicator.

We actually never see Quark charge for something that comes from a replicator, only something that comes out of a bottle or must be otherwise prepared.

 

[Longinus]

The alternative theory is that Federation citizens regularly receive credits for free which are economically worthless yet bizarrely, people like Quark acknowledge them as being of value.

Yes it does. The credits are worthless to Federation citizens in the Federation, as everything is free for them. However, people outside the Federation accept these credits as payment, as they can exchange them to Federation goods and services (these are not free to them, as they're not Federation citizens.)

 

[Kor]

Other than Paris on Voyager was there any other comments about there being no currency anymore? as there is more currency used during all the shows than not.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek: First Contact stated it quite clearly and definitively.

Kor

 

[hux]

Yes it does. The credits are worthless to Federation citizens in the Federation, as everything is free for them. However, people outside the Federation accept these credits as payment, as they can exchange them to Federation goods and services (these are not free to them, as they're not Federation citizens.)

That only works if either:-

A) The Federation has a currency based economy.
B) The Federation has access to resources that other powers don't (that can't be replicated etc).

Otherwise why would Ferengi's or anyone else trade with the Federation? Why not just replicate it? If the answer is... because some things just can't be replicated then congratulations, you've just discovered why the Federation also has a currency based economy (because some things just can't be replicated). Either everyone has magic bean replication tech or no-one does. To say that we have it on Earth (ergo, no need for currency etc) but not on other world's (some need for currency) just doesn't work.

The resources that can't be replicated need to be of some intrinsic value.

 

[Longinus]

There indeed are things that cannot be replicated, such as dilithium, but normal people don't need those. Furthermore, replicated goods may be 'free' to the people, but they're not 'free' in the sense that replicating still consumes energy. Thus non-Federation people need to use Federation credits to access Federation energy resources.

 

[Kor]

Any students of economics or political economy here? What would be the best real-world or theoretical economic framework to fit with what we see in Trek? I was reading up a bit on anarchist economics, but I'm not sure how well it would work for that kind of infrastructure.

Kor

 

[hux]

There indeed are things that cannot be replicated, such as dilithium, but normal people don't need those. Furthermore, replicated goods may be 'free' to the people, but they're not 'free' in the sense that replicating still consumes energy. Thus non-Federation people need to use Federation credits to access Federation energy resources.

The what is Quark (normal person) using the credits to buy? If not things that cannot be replicated such as dilithium then what?

 

[Longinus]

The what is Quark (normal person) using the credits to buy? If not things that cannot be replicated such as dilithium then what?

He can book a passage (that did happen) or get stuff made by Federation industrial replicators that his own small replicators cannot make.