Is Star Trek a communist society?

Question

There seems to be no form of monetary exchange. People seem to do things because they want to, not because they expect payment. Everyone is seen and treated equally. Is this a realistic expectation of where humanity could be headed?

Answer 1

There's money in that 'verse -- it's just that they don't often deal with it in the stuff that happens on-screen. (When their on a planet, they pay for things; some "people" are after money -- theives, traders, etc.)

I believe they all get paid -- the crews. But it's kind of like the military, in that they get room and board, and therefore less pay.

A lot of what people do in real life they do because they want to, not because they expect payment (answering questions here, for example).

Is Star Trek realistic?

No.

In some ways I find it unrealistically optimistic, and in others, unrealistically pessimistic.

Actually, I think the word your looking for is "socialist" rather than "communist."