This is a good exposition of basic economics that cleverly wraps itself around a critique of Star Trek economics. It’s more correct and more fun to read than most economics textbooks. From Pater Tenebrarum at acting-man.com:
Robotic Utopia
In spite of the fact that Marx expressed nothing but disdain for his Utopian socialist predecessors such as Henri Saint-Simon and Auguste Comte, variants of Utopian socialism evidently live on. The latest iteration of the socialist dream is firmly focused on the capabilities of one of the countless fruits of free market capitalism, namely robots.
The new Utopian socialists believe that the latest capitalist gizmos will help them realize their dream of a society under the full control of socialist philosopher kings. Image via grundeinkommen.ch
It is quite ironic that something that would never have come into existence in a socialist system is now supposed to hasten the introduction of same – and of course, this time, it will be done right!
The idea is basically this: as robots are becoming more sophisticated, more and more labor that is widely regarded as drudgery will become obsolete. Eventually, robots will take over the production of all the goods we need and want, and human workers will be free to pursue art, philosophy, or whatever else strikes their fancy.
So far so good, actually. It is after all the very aim of economic activity to increase labor productivity and produce ever more output with the same, or even a smaller input. In the market economy this goal is primarily achieved by entrepreneurs steadily lengthening the structure of production with new investment and increasing the division of labor. The sine qua non requirement for this process is an increase in real savings (money printing cannot replace such savings).
In addition to this essential process, new technologies and new methods of production are constantly introduced as well, which helps to increase output even further. We can observe this process in the manufacturing industries nowadays: ever fewer workers are producing an ever greater output. The same has previously happened in the agricultural sector.
Making an Omelet
However, the fact that these things are seemingly happening almost automatically in a market economy is not enough for the socialist dreamers (the process is of course not “automatic” at all, but we have good reason to believe that it will continue to happen in a market economy). Supporters of the socialist ideology need a further element to ensure eternal bliss in this coming robotic Land of Cockaigne.
There can be no happiness without the State in their version of society. Good socialists thus have to prostrate themselves before the members of the bureaucratic and political classes with the battle cry: “I beg you, dunderheads… please run my life!”
To continue reading: Arrant Star Trek Socialism
