What if money ceased to exist?

[Big Disney Fan]

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if, all of a sudden, all money in the world were to end instantaneously and the world would have no money at all. If that were to happen, what would be the effect?

[SpringHeelJack]

A massive societal collapse?

[BellesPrince]

Global anarchy followed by barter.

[avonleastories95]

As Belle'sPrince said, if we had no money in the world, we would have to barter, or trade for goods.

[milojthatch]

We could look at "Star Trek" for clues as to how that would work. I'd imagine that something would ultimately take its place with mankind the way it is now. "Star Trek" offers a future where mankind is not abscessed with wealth, so if we as a society ever got that way, that future could work. But as long as even one man lusts for wealth, it could never work and why I'd say something would replace it. I don't think the barter system would work as we have already done that a few times in human history and it always reverts back to a monetary system.

[BellesPrince]

I didn't say that barter would replace money indefinitely, but there would definitely be a period where it would be used.

[ajmrowland]

We could look at "Star Trek" for clues as to how that would work. I'd imagine that something would ultimately take its place with mankind the way it is now. "Star Trek" offers a future where mankind is not abscessed with wealth, so if we as a society ever got that way, that future could work. But as long as even one man lusts for wealth, it could never work and why I'd say something would replace it. I don't think the barter system would work as we have already done that a few times in human history and it always reverts back to a monetary system.

what hints would Star Trek have to support this?

[Big Disney Fan]

This cynical voice inside my head says that if money ends, civilization ends.

[Escapay]

We could look at "Star Trek" for clues as to how that would work. I'd imagine that something would ultimately take its place with mankind the way it is now. "Star Trek" offers a future where mankind is not abscessed with wealth, so if we as a society ever got that way, that future could work. But as long as even one man lusts for wealth, it could never work and why I'd say something would replace it. I don't think the barter system would work as we have already done that a few times in human history and it always reverts back to a monetary system.

what hints would Star Trek have to support this?

Some quotes from episodes/movies, courtesy of Memory Alpha (bold emphasis mine)

• Kirk told Spock about 20th century Earth: "They're still using money. We need to get some." Later on, while Kirk was having dinner with Gillian Taylor and was unable to pay in the restaurant, Gillian asked sarcastically, "Don't tell me they don't use money in the 23rd century," and Kirk told her "Well, we don't." (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
  
  Leonard McCoy responded to Chang's constant quotations of William Shakespeare during the battle of Khitomer that "I'd give real money if he'd shut up." (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
  
  Picard tries to explain to Ralph Offenhouse from the 20th century that there would be no need for his law firm any longer: "A lot has changed in three hundred years. People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of 'things'. We have eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions." (TNG: "The Neutral Zone")
  
  When Lily Sloane asked how much the USS Enterprise-E cost to build, Picard tells her "The economics of the future is somewhat different. You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century... The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of Humanity." (Star Trek: First Contact)
  
  When Nog suggests that Jake should bid for a baseball card in an auction, Jake says "I'm Human, I don't have any money." Nog replies "It's not my fault that your species decided to abandon currency-based economics in favor of some philosophy of self-enhancement." Jake says "Hey, watch it. There's nothing wrong with our philosophy. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity." Nog then replies "What does that mean?" Jake responds "It means we don't need money!" Nog quickly points out, however, that Jake wouldn't be able to bid or borrow. (DS9: "In the Cards")
  
  Jake: (big smile) "I sold my first book today." Quark: "Really? How much did you get for it?" Jake: "It's just a figure of speech. The Federation News Service is going to publish a book of my stories about life on the station under Dominion rule." Jake then confirmed Quark's suspicion that he was not paid. (DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited")
  
  Tom Paris says about the significance of Fort Knox: "When the New World Economy took shape in the late 22nd century and money went the way of the dinosaur, Fort Knox was turned into a museum." (VOY: "Dark Frontier")

Of course, there's also quotes on MA's page about money that show how it's still used, but you get the idea.

albert

[BellesPrince]

Of course, there was also a regular Poker game on the Enterprise where they appeared to be betting with something.

[Escapay]

True, I forgot about those! And one of my favorite TNG episodes is "Cause and Effect", which features the poker game that repeats every time the ship goes back into the causality loop.

Perhaps they play just for the thrill of it?

albert

[Goliath]

Karl Marx' dream come true?

Since money is the root of all evil in this world... would that be such a bad thing? Well, it would soon be replaced with something else we placed value on. Maybe we would go back to trading real gold instead of sheets of paper that are supposed to represent gold? (Which has already become obsolete, now that the FED has decided to simply print billions of dollars without an ounce of gold to back it up. Many economists are warning us that this may cause a new financial collapse.)

[Maerj]

I always assumed that money was meaningless in Star Trek since they had the replicators and could instantly make anything they wanted. Thus negating the need to buy anything.

[SpringHeelJack]

Since money is the root of all evil in this world...

As many will be quick to tell you, money is not the root of all evil, the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. People always leave out that first part.

[disneyboy20022]

It would mean I could give my Cinderella II DVD for a romantic get away on the Disney Dream Cruise with my Girlfriend


Or the more realistic answer....the money would all be digitized and put into a credit card type thing..meaning If we want something...show them our George Washington Express Government Credit Card and you get it for FREE

[jpanimation]

Maybe we would go back to trading real gold instead of sheets of paper that are supposed to represent gold? (Which has already become obsolete, now that the FED has decided to simply print billions of dollars without an ounce of gold to back it up. Many economists are warning us that this may cause a new financial collapse.)

If only. The fact that people find coins useless should show just how much our government has inflated our dollar and just how little of it is actually backed by gold. I wish the government would stop spending and try deflating our dollar but the FED does what the FED does, regardless of negative impact their actions have on our economy.

I personally feel that if our dollar collapsed, we would get a first hand look at true human nature and it won't be pretty. America isn't what it used to be and the vast majority of American's wouldn't know how to be self-sufficient after years of over-consumption (unlike American's during the depression, who found a way). Todays Americans are spoiled and envious, so when they're starving and desperate, they'll get angry and commit deplorable acts (most likely towards the self-sufficient, for whom they'll hate).

[Big Disney Fan]

So basically, if money dies, then the whole country will die with it?

[ajmrowland]

.....................oh, dont mind me. I'm waiting for us to finally fall like the Roman Empire so we can humble ourselves and improve as a nation overall.

[Goliath]

.....................oh, dont mind me. I'm waiting for us to finally fall like the Roman Empire so we can humble ourselves and improve as a nation overall.

I don't know if you've followed the news lately, but I can't really say Italy has improved as a nation. I mean, Berlusconi is just as mad as Emperor Nero!

[ajmrowland]

yeah, living in America makes it hard to follow Italian news.

Plus that guy lives only 1500 years at the very least after the Roman Empire.