The economy of equestria seems like a command economy, however its sort of like a deistic assignment of jobs to many ponies in the form of cutie marks, and not from people like celelstia that is trying to assign them which does give some folly to the use of subjects since they arent really subject to any laws that are not forced by nature, accept friendship you could say, but even thats debatable considering all the problems the mane 6 have faced. Also it seems kind of socialist because the only transaction I can think of being made was in the Maud Rock episode where pinkie pie barters her cannon for a rock pouch, and other forms of socialist/commie style business is in the episode spice up your life with Rarity and Pinkie pie testing the restaurants, but I never saw any of them pay fucking once. The power structure is weird, what do you think things will be like in season 7?
/mlpol/ - My Little Politics
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>>7643
>chaste system
I just don't really see any evidence of it imo. I would argue that twilight being someone who could have been just a regular pone with meh magic if she didn't work hard and meet her friends, but she did put in the work and maybe through some magic she became princess, but another example I would give is glimglam, she would have been just a shit pone unless she studied like she did. Her friend, the magic guy who she thought would be a wizard, was chosen to go away to magic school I think but he failed. It is sort of deterministic but I would think its only the case with the mane 6 becoming friends.
>chaste system
I just don't really see any evidence of it imo. I would argue that twilight being someone who could have been just a regular pone with meh magic if she didn't work hard and meet her friends, but she did put in the work and maybe through some magic she became princess, but another example I would give is glimglam, she would have been just a shit pone unless she studied like she did. Her friend, the magic guy who she thought would be a wizard, was chosen to go away to magic school I think but he failed. It is sort of deterministic but I would think its only the case with the mane 6 becoming friends.
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>>7642
Cutie Marks seems more of a fate thing then any kind of assignment, since it's never established that anyone gives out Cutie Marks. If anything, Equestria is free market to some extent, otherwise the Apple Family Farm, Filthy Rich, and Flim and Flam wouldn't exist
Cutie Marks seems more of a fate thing then any kind of assignment, since it's never established that anyone gives out Cutie Marks. If anything, Equestria is free market to some extent, otherwise the Apple Family Farm, Filthy Rich, and Flim and Flam wouldn't exist
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The economy seems to be barely capitalist. It would seem the idea is that when you follow your destiny/cutie mark/true calling you naturally contribute to society in a way that is useful and its own reward. There is no need to bribe ponies into drudgery.
They don't reject money for services/products but also don't seem to care much about it either. Because they harmonise nature as a community event they also need very little in the way of protection. Once you have a house that is about all you need. Food literally grows for free everywhere. Rarity does sell dresses but also seems to offer them too, but also no one actually needs one in the first place. This is excess capacity due to almost no demand. It's like a naturally occurring communist base because capacity is significantly greater than need, but with individuality and destiny, and with capitalistic options on top. And no one cares that both exist. They let events occur naturally and only get involved after problems arise.
Cutey marks might be fated. But I see them as a bit more like DNA, you have natural abilities but you have to consciously discover the ability at which point a cutie mark appears to verify your revelation.
The Tree of Harmony could be like the tree in Avatar a natural balancer and interconnected to all life. The ponies then extend this out to control the natural order itself. But you also have the option of rejecting it and then things turn to shit (See Glimmer, Nightmare Moon).
In fact this now explains Everfree Forest to me. It is the unharmonised version of nature. Freedom in this case is free of a harmonised destiny. ie. Total freedom is indistinguishable from chaos and disorder. (See pic Fluttershy experiencing too much freedom LOL).
It's a curious show!
They don't reject money for services/products but also don't seem to care much about it either. Because they harmonise nature as a community event they also need very little in the way of protection. Once you have a house that is about all you need. Food literally grows for free everywhere. Rarity does sell dresses but also seems to offer them too, but also no one actually needs one in the first place. This is excess capacity due to almost no demand. It's like a naturally occurring communist base because capacity is significantly greater than need, but with individuality and destiny, and with capitalistic options on top. And no one cares that both exist. They let events occur naturally and only get involved after problems arise.
Cutey marks might be fated. But I see them as a bit more like DNA, you have natural abilities but you have to consciously discover the ability at which point a cutie mark appears to verify your revelation.
The Tree of Harmony could be like the tree in Avatar a natural balancer and interconnected to all life. The ponies then extend this out to control the natural order itself. But you also have the option of rejecting it and then things turn to shit (See Glimmer, Nightmare Moon).
In fact this now explains Everfree Forest to me. It is the unharmonised version of nature. Freedom in this case is free of a harmonised destiny. ie. Total freedom is indistinguishable from chaos and disorder. (See pic Fluttershy experiencing too much freedom LOL).
It's a curious show!
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>>7820
>capitalist systems bribe people into dull work
>there is little to no apparent scarcity in produce therefore it's a type of communist system
>freedom without fate to bind it down equals chaos
>capitalist systems bribe people into dull work
>there is little to no apparent scarcity in produce therefore it's a type of communist system
>freedom without fate to bind it down equals chaos
>>7642
Well I'm only a little ways into the first season, but one of the last episodes I watched featured Apple Bloom and Applejack selling apples at some sort of market, which would imply that there is some type of regular commerce being conducted. Apple Bloom gets kicked off the job for trying to fleece ponies out of their money, and I've heard their currency referred to as "bits" at least once. My guess is that this particular aspect of the show was not really fleshed out much by the writers.
In general the ponies seem to all have jobs that they more or less assume based on their natural talents. If they have a system of currency I imagine they are all paid for their work, or at least receive some sort of distributed stipend in exchange for everyone having a job and contributing to the betterment of their community.
Well I'm only a little ways into the first season, but one of the last episodes I watched featured Apple Bloom and Applejack selling apples at some sort of market, which would imply that there is some type of regular commerce being conducted. Apple Bloom gets kicked off the job for trying to fleece ponies out of their money, and I've heard their currency referred to as "bits" at least once. My guess is that this particular aspect of the show was not really fleshed out much by the writers.
In general the ponies seem to all have jobs that they more or less assume based on their natural talents. If they have a system of currency I imagine they are all paid for their work, or at least receive some sort of distributed stipend in exchange for everyone having a job and contributing to the betterment of their community.
>>7829
I think someone is confused with how capitalism works. The short version is: You create a product. That product has "value" to someone else. You exchange that product for something that equals said "value" to both parties. It is not about "bribing ponies into drudgery." Since everyone is free to choose their own path explicitly (via their cutie marks), there is no need for a higher education system to mold a pony into a certain field.
A doctor studies medicine. An astronomer studies heavenly bodies. A librarian researches books and creates organization systems. These are just natural manifestations of their talents and their love for their own work; it is a culture where ponies literally exist around their love for their jobs.
>>7833
I agree with this post. Just because there is no current "scarcity" does not imply there is no market. In the Hearth's Warming Eve episode, shortages of food and other needs are clearly shown to be possible. Valuable work in the series is still exchanged for bits/gems/tokens, even if it's for extravagance and wants instead of most needs.
Also, absolute, unrestrained freedom IS chaos. Imagine a space-faring culture that can terraform planets at will, until they reach a planet where all of their technology no longer works. Obviously, such an event would be terrifying - this is how ponies feel about the Everfree forest being resistant to the effects of magic and weather control.
I think someone is confused with how capitalism works. The short version is: You create a product. That product has "value" to someone else. You exchange that product for something that equals said "value" to both parties. It is not about "bribing ponies into drudgery." Since everyone is free to choose their own path explicitly (via their cutie marks), there is no need for a higher education system to mold a pony into a certain field.
A doctor studies medicine. An astronomer studies heavenly bodies. A librarian researches books and creates organization systems. These are just natural manifestations of their talents and their love for their own work; it is a culture where ponies literally exist around their love for their jobs.
>>7833
I agree with this post. Just because there is no current "scarcity" does not imply there is no market. In the Hearth's Warming Eve episode, shortages of food and other needs are clearly shown to be possible. Valuable work in the series is still exchanged for bits/gems/tokens, even if it's for extravagance and wants instead of most needs.
Also, absolute, unrestrained freedom IS chaos. Imagine a space-faring culture that can terraform planets at will, until they reach a planet where all of their technology no longer works. Obviously, such an event would be terrifying - this is how ponies feel about the Everfree forest being resistant to the effects of magic and weather control.
>>7854
Absolute freedom is not chaos, merely the possibility thereof. When something is possible it does not follow that it must necessarily happen. The greater the scale of freedom, the greater the scale of possible outcomes, meaning there is a higher susceptibility to chaos, however not equaling to assured chaos. The space-faring culture in your example might have enough foresight not to break themselves.
In case of Everfree and pone it's basically as if we on our planet had two sets of laws of physics, vastly similar but with a few start differences, operating in two separate sections of Earth. At first, when learning of the strange new place we would react alike to ponies - confronted with something we assumed unchangeable being different. But the fact remains that both of the places have a set of rules binding them. The scale of difference merely makes the second appear chaotic and unstable to those used to life within one place. And yet in case of Everfree it is entirely possible to live within it - with Zecora solitarily living there, or the old Royal Castle having once been a thriving settlement.
Absolute freedom is not chaos, merely the possibility thereof. When something is possible it does not follow that it must necessarily happen. The greater the scale of freedom, the greater the scale of possible outcomes, meaning there is a higher susceptibility to chaos, however not equaling to assured chaos. The space-faring culture in your example might have enough foresight not to break themselves.
In case of Everfree and pone it's basically as if we on our planet had two sets of laws of physics, vastly similar but with a few start differences, operating in two separate sections of Earth. At first, when learning of the strange new place we would react alike to ponies - confronted with something we assumed unchangeable being different. But the fact remains that both of the places have a set of rules binding them. The scale of difference merely makes the second appear chaotic and unstable to those used to life within one place. And yet in case of Everfree it is entirely possible to live within it - with Zecora solitarily living there, or the old Royal Castle having once been a thriving settlement.
>>7858
Point conceded in the case of Everfree not being total chaos. I'll change my term from chaos to dangerous.
Point conceded in the case of Everfree not being total chaos. I'll change my term from chaos to dangerous.
Dont know much about economiesbut i have an autistic knowledge of random pony lore, so here we go.
Equestria uses a currency called bits, which essentially look like gold or silver coins.
The latter have only been used once in the entire series, coincidently also being the only instance of a transaction that involves Cloudsdale.
A basket of apples can be eight bits.
A single tomato varied between one or two bits.
A cherry was two bits.
A large bag of bits bought a powerful (but cursed) magical amulet.
Two bits can buy you a drink.
Four silver bits can buy you a balloon ride to cloudsdale.
Griffons also use bits as currency, and are said to have hoarded them since ancient times.
One in particular was so jewish that she leaves a pony injured on a ledge within a deep ravine because they were unable to pay for help.
She also offers to explain whether griffons only talk about bits, but only in exchange for more bits.
The "ancient times" thing gives credit to the idea that Equestria the kingdom pre-dates most other civilisations, but we wont know for certain until we get a pre-equestrian episode that isnt a christmas flashback.
All we know is that Celestia and Luna did not found the kingdom, but became it's leading monarchs an unspecified time afterwards.
Whether equestria had a singular ruler or had a council of representatives prior to Celestia and Luna is unknown.
Prequestria were split into 3 tribes, so it's likely that they didnt use a currency as such but instead relied on a barter system.
We know that earth ponies gave tribute to the Pegasi and Unicorns in exchange for good weather, for instance.
As a final piece of Trivia on bits, a "Bit" for real horses is a small strip of metal or synthetic material placed in the mouth of a horse and assists communication between rider and animal.
Personally speaking, i like the play on words as while a Bit on earth helps the rider control the horse, so does a Bit in Equestria help the ponies control the economy.
Equestria uses a currency called bits, which essentially look like gold or silver coins.
The latter have only been used once in the entire series, coincidently also being the only instance of a transaction that involves Cloudsdale.
A basket of apples can be eight bits.
A single tomato varied between one or two bits.
A cherry was two bits.
A large bag of bits bought a powerful (but cursed) magical amulet.
Two bits can buy you a drink.
Four silver bits can buy you a balloon ride to cloudsdale.
Griffons also use bits as currency, and are said to have hoarded them since ancient times.
One in particular was so jewish that she leaves a pony injured on a ledge within a deep ravine because they were unable to pay for help.
She also offers to explain whether griffons only talk about bits, but only in exchange for more bits.
The "ancient times" thing gives credit to the idea that Equestria the kingdom pre-dates most other civilisations, but we wont know for certain until we get a pre-equestrian episode that isnt a christmas flashback.
All we know is that Celestia and Luna did not found the kingdom, but became it's leading monarchs an unspecified time afterwards.
Whether equestria had a singular ruler or had a council of representatives prior to Celestia and Luna is unknown.
Prequestria were split into 3 tribes, so it's likely that they didnt use a currency as such but instead relied on a barter system.
We know that earth ponies gave tribute to the Pegasi and Unicorns in exchange for good weather, for instance.
As a final piece of Trivia on bits, a "Bit" for real horses is a small strip of metal or synthetic material placed in the mouth of a horse and assists communication between rider and animal.
Personally speaking, i like the play on words as while a Bit on earth helps the rider control the horse, so does a Bit in Equestria help the ponies control the economy.
>>7680
From what I've gathered, everyone just gets to do what they're best at: arguably more free than the system we have today.
From what I've gathered, everyone just gets to do what they're best at: arguably more free than the system we have today.
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>>7820
>cutey marks might be fated. But I see them as a bit more like DNA, you have natural abilities but you have to consciously discover the ability at which point a cutie mark appears to verify your revelation.
I like this explanation. The whole thing where you have stamp on your ass that determines what you're going to do with your life kinda rubs me the wrong way, being a believer in self-determination. But if your cutie mark is just a reflection of what you're good at and already want to be, then I guess it's fine. There was an episode in S5 where a draft horse feels like his cutie mark just means he's doomed to suffer bad luck, and he lives out in the woods away from society. The cmc help him discover that his clumsiness and misfortune make him a great rodeo clown. So even a natural "talent" as shit as having terrible luck can work out for them.
>cutey marks might be fated. But I see them as a bit more like DNA, you have natural abilities but you have to consciously discover the ability at which point a cutie mark appears to verify your revelation.
I like this explanation. The whole thing where you have stamp on your ass that determines what you're going to do with your life kinda rubs me the wrong way, being a believer in self-determination. But if your cutie mark is just a reflection of what you're good at and already want to be, then I guess it's fine. There was an episode in S5 where a draft horse feels like his cutie mark just means he's doomed to suffer bad luck, and he lives out in the woods away from society. The cmc help him discover that his clumsiness and misfortune make him a great rodeo clown. So even a natural "talent" as shit as having terrible luck can work out for them.
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>>7891
>A basket of apples can be eight bits.
>A single tomato varied between one or two bits.
>A cherry was two bits.
>A large bag of bits bought a powerful (but cursed) magical amulet.
>Two bits can buy you a drink.
>Four silver bits can buy you a balloon ride to cloudsdale.
That bag wasn't all that big. These prices are fucked. The writers obviously weren't thinking about the Equestrian economy, so if we wanted to adhere strictly to the canon we would have to infer that no one in Equestria actually expects to be compensated for their labor with money. At least not among friends and neighbors. They all give eachother shit all the time and the money is just some weird formality, probably a remnant of a capitalist system that existed before they all started banking with altruism.
>A basket of apples can be eight bits.
>A single tomato varied between one or two bits.
>A cherry was two bits.
>A large bag of bits bought a powerful (but cursed) magical amulet.
>Two bits can buy you a drink.
>Four silver bits can buy you a balloon ride to cloudsdale.
That bag wasn't all that big. These prices are fucked. The writers obviously weren't thinking about the Equestrian economy, so if we wanted to adhere strictly to the canon we would have to infer that no one in Equestria actually expects to be compensated for their labor with money. At least not among friends and neighbors. They all give eachother shit all the time and the money is just some weird formality, probably a remnant of a capitalist system that existed before they all started banking with altruism.
>>13298
There are explainations. Those cherries were overpriced, that bag of bits has more bits in it than appreciated, the Chinese area selling the amulets has lower prices, or bits exist in many denominations of varying value
There are explainations. Those cherries were overpriced, that bag of bits has more bits in it than appreciated, the Chinese area selling the amulets has lower prices, or bits exist in many denominations of varying value
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>>13306
Yeah, varying denominations are probably the best explanation if you don't want to believe Equestria is an anarcho-commie country (with a supreme ruler I guess). Every bit looks smooth, but it's conceivable they have engravings that are too fine for us to see in the cartoon style. Or maybe prices are still fucked, I don't know, you'd have to turbo-autist and study each of those transactions closely to see what was going on.
Yeah, varying denominations are probably the best explanation if you don't want to believe Equestria is an anarcho-commie country (with a supreme ruler I guess). Every bit looks smooth, but it's conceivable they have engravings that are too fine for us to see in the cartoon style. Or maybe prices are still fucked, I don't know, you'd have to turbo-autist and study each of those transactions closely to see what was going on.
>>7642
I always though about Equestria, as fairly agrarian country, with earth pony magic and control over weather they can produce shitload of food without problem.
Their technology level is hard to judge, but they are certainly in pre industrial era with few exceptions (like trains, or high tech shit running probably on magic).
Considering how problematic feeding your population was in the past (not so long ago considering holodomor and shit) it's giganticall advantage on global scale.
If we assume that other countries have similar development level, Equestria produce many times more food that they ever could(at least not in the next few centuries).
So probably large portion of Equestrian moeny comes from selling food, they have refrigeration and means to transport it (trains) so it's entirely possible.
Also that can be reason why Equestria is in peace for so long, they provide food for other nations so no one dares to attack them out of fear of starvation and angering other nations.
I always though about Equestria, as fairly agrarian country, with earth pony magic and control over weather they can produce shitload of food without problem.
Their technology level is hard to judge, but they are certainly in pre industrial era with few exceptions (like trains, or high tech shit running probably on magic).
Considering how problematic feeding your population was in the past (not so long ago considering holodomor and shit) it's giganticall advantage on global scale.
If we assume that other countries have similar development level, Equestria produce many times more food that they ever could(at least not in the next few centuries).
So probably large portion of Equestrian moeny comes from selling food, they have refrigeration and means to transport it (trains) so it's entirely possible.
Also that can be reason why Equestria is in peace for so long, they provide food for other nations so no one dares to attack them out of fear of starvation and angering other nations.
I have some thoughts on this
>>17574
No it isn't, dipshit! There's clear social complexity. They have a princess who has supreme command.
No it isn't, dipshit! There's clear social complexity. They have a princess who has supreme command.
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