Economies

Economic systems throughout civilization are varied and diverse. They operate on a sense of purpose; Individual societies and their members interact with one another to meet their needs and further their goals.

Currency

Most societies use some form of fungible currency, and in localized regions there may be a designated digital currency shared across multiple worlds or star systems. Exceptions include willful isolationist nations and closed communities. Such societies operate internally on different economic systems, but may still maintain a bank of currency for external interactions with those outside their commune. Others still will refuse even this, opting to only exchange goods or services directly; currencies do not always take the form of a designated asset. Especially in the Civil Periphery, information, materials, and services are highly sought after commodities, and economies may operate more on bartering than on money. Such information as prospecting data for a few nearby potential colonization targets (such as an asteroid field or gas giant moon) is of extreme value to those looking to efficiently exploit it. Other specific commodities include energy and computing power.

Motivations

Economic might is not always a driving force behind motivations. Some societies will strive for achievements unrelated to the acquisition of wealth or power, whether by augmented learning methods or specific upbringing. For some, virtue is its own reward.

Piracy

Across the vast reaches of space many trade commodities are digital, such currency and information. Pirates use specific tactics for their own illicit economic operations.