Mine is that Picard talks in his sleep.
Not about the characters themselves, but lots about the universe.
-We don’t see it on screen a lot, but I assume that automation takes a lot of the less desirable jobs. This frees up people to pursue their passions or improve themselves without having to worry about who’s going to want to dedicate their life to being a janitor.
-While money isn’t necessary on Earth or within the Federation at large, Starfleet members and/or Federation citizens are given stipends to spend at places that may need it. This includes ports of call like Farpoint Station or non-Federation establishments like Quark’s Bar.
-Unpopular one incoming. The economy of Earth (for whatever the term “economy” is worth here) operates more similarly to an idealized form of capitalism than it does to communism. We see that private property canonically exists and can be acquired or relinquished through personal transactions. The Picards own Chateau Picard, Joseph Sisko owns Sisko’s restaurant, and they’re free to operate them as they see fit.
Unpopular one incoming. The economy of Earth (for whatever the term “economy” is worth here) operates more similarly to an idealized form of capitalism than it does to communism. We see that private property canonically exists and can be acquired or relinquished through personal transactions. The Picards own Chateau Picard, Joseph Sisko owns Sisko’s restaurant, and they’re free to operate them as they see fit.
Those are not necessarily features of a capitalist mode of production.
Hard to compare, because Star Trek Earth really has no need for modes of production. Hence my parenthetical - it’s hard to describe their “economy” in terms of the systems we have today since they can produce pretty much anything they need, as much as they need, whenever they need it.
