Question of the Day

One of the facets of Babylon 5 that I really enjoyed was its realistic depiction of economics. B5 was a departure from the utopian economy of Star Trek where scarcity -- as well as money -- had been largely eliminated. In Babylon 5, there were unions that went on strike and frequent shortages of labor, parts, and just plain cash. A large population of desperately poor people lived on the station in a region called "Downbelow", and a number of major characters dealt with unemployment, indebtedness, and worries about paying their bills.

Scarcity, both for societies as a whole and individuals, was a driving force in the Babylon 5 storyline. So it's a lot like the world that we live in. I liked that.

Which science fiction books, movies, or television shows do you think do a good job of presenting realistic economics?

Image: Baker's Place

Comments (3)

Newest 3
Newest 3 Comments

Heinlein's The Man Who Sold the Moon tells of the troubles of privately funding the first moon mission. No public money because the government wouldn't dream big enough.
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So disapointed..
I'm expecting now the biggest STRUCTURAL gingerbread house. Anybody can slap a couple of slices on a wall, but building a real house with gingerbread is left to be seen. That woudl be a structural challenge...
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Whats wrong with you guys. Yeah it would be awesome to see a STRUCTURAL gingerbread house. But this is just as hard to build. Your disappointed, your one of those critics that don't know anything, a writer, not an acual builder. I'l like to see you do this. You won't even last a second, won't even know what to make the door out of. So keep your comments to yourself....psh disappointed, I should smack you across the face for saying that.
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