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