Post-scarcity

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A post-scarcity economy is a hypothetical form of economy or society, often explored in science fiction, in which valuable things (material, energy or information) are free or practically free, creating abundance. Market economy and command economy may be unnecessary post-scarcity, though a gift economy may take their place.

More speculative forms of nanotechnology (such as molecular assemblers or nanofactories) raises the possibility of devices that can manufacture goods out of any material. Zero-point energy theoretically offers unlimited energy.

Post-scarcity societies may have economies based on exchange of other scarce things, such as reputation (see Whuffie), attention or expertise.

Even in a post scarcity society, some things will remain rare. Only one person at a time can be President of the United States, there is a practical limit to the number of people who can live near San Francisco Bay, and there are only fifty Faberge eggs in the whole world.

Fictional post-scarcity socities include the Bitchun Society, The Culture, and the United Federation of Planets.

The page was seeded with material from Wikipedia This term is part of the Infoshop Glossary