andalites and money

[estrid]

Ax always found the concept of humans and their money as wierd, and always implied that andalites didnt have money. but they had to use SOMETHING as currency didn't they? i mean all the andalites on the homeworld were working for free? also, in book 18, (or is it 38?) one of the andalites says he was arrested for selling organs. so if the andalites don't have money, what did he mean by that? i always figured andalites had some kind of their own version of money and being paid that was different from human money, which is why it looked wierd to ax, but the overall idea of being paid existed. What are your guys' thoughts on this?

[Captain Nerefir]

Ax always found the concept of humans and their money as wierd, and always implied that andalites didnt have money. but they had to use SOMETHING as currency didn't they? i mean all the andalites on the homeworld were working for free?

That's certainly possible in a society like the one I believe the Andalites had. It was suggested at several points (such as books 8 and 54) that the government lies to the people about many things. Their labor may have been enforced or even somewhat brainwashed.

I think it was made pretty clear somewhere (I don't remember where exactly; maybe it was just Ax's confusion over the whole money situation) that Andalites don't usually use a currency. But presumably, they would need some sort of currency when dealing with other races.

also, in book 18, (or is it 38?) one of the andalites says he was arrested for selling organs. so if the andalites don't have money, what did he mean by that? i always figured andalites had some kind of their own version of money and being paid that was different from human money, which is why it looked wierd to ax, but the overall idea of being paid existed. What are your guys' thoughts on this?

Although the Andalties may have had no currency amongst themselves, they most likely had to have something when dealing with other races, even if it was just a trade system (which would be very limited thanks to Seerow's Kindness). Perhaps it was meant that he was selling these organs (it was book 38, by the way) in exchange for this 'intergalactic currency'. Being nothing more than a lowly aristh, Ax probably wouldn't have had much, if any, experience with this sort of thing and so was puzzled by it.

[Phoenix004]

I think this has come up before. Personally I think that the Andalites must have had some kind of trade system, like a lot of early human civilisations, where each party exchanges something of roughly equal value. Intergalactic trade would probably work the same way, although I highly doubt the Andalites traded with other species much due to the law of Seerow's Kindness.

[~]

Andalites did most things communally. Like one family builds part of a spaceship, another makes the computer, if I'm remebering correctly. It was implied once hat there is a common currency among the galaxy's inhabitants, but I can't remeber which book.

[Shock]

i always thought of the andalite system of goverment being socialist to the extreme (with bits of conservitism mixed into it. example being that males and females still have roles to play in their sociality). even in the andalite book, elf talks about how the goverment may allow families to more kids..

now doesn't that sound like socialism to you?

[Captain Nerefir]

They've definitely got some highly socialistic tendencies. Government regulation appears to be high, from what I've seen. Not to mention that I suspect they enforce nationalism in the extreme (Ax is practically brainwashed).

[goom]

true that.

maybe they use the barter system still?

[rossabo]

If they don't have a currency system, then what do they mean by the wealthier Andalites visiting Earth in the last book?

[goom]

maybe higher class?
more respected?

they could use the word 'wealthier' in a different sense.
wealth: The value of one's total possessions and property rights.

or maybe it's just a KASU.

[RYTX]

Ax wouldn't have done half the law breaking stuff he did if he was brain washed.

I thoughts on Andalite live don't have a high need for money.
Food: well you eat on the go, and it's everywhere.
Clothing: Not a big deal
and as for forms of entertainment, first off I don't think they were that big on it, and besides they'd still probably have access to most everything given whatever they had for internet (know we do)

So long as you did whatever you we're supposed to be doing, I'd imagine you'd get the supplies you needed.
My guess is the organ hawker was selling off world for whatever luxary supplies he'd want more of

[Shock]

Ax wouldn't have done half the law breaking stuff he did if he was brain washed.

well when one is stranded in a forigen land and no way back home, you tend to adapt ideas that you woundn't dream of using back home.

and as for "wealther" andalites, i always viewed them as goverment officals looking for some exotic location to be put in (after all, it's better to be an anbassitor to a good location,like mimi, than a location like Iraq).

[estrid]

u guys all have decent points, altho i think rob went off on a tangent but what else is new

but there had to be andalites involved in the manufactoring of all the machines that made life convinient for them, were they doin that for totally free? just a barter system doesnt really make sense

[RYTX]

It's okay kat. I know

But I don't think making that stuff was like a job you get so you can but bread on the table; more like just something you do for the betterment of society. Like community service only....you actually have to.
It's your job, it's too support whatever government, corporate power or whatever, but not for individual trade and gain

[estrid]

what do u kno rob? when are u gona start making sense?


i dk, i dont think they had something like money to get their games and such they had. i dk

[Phoenix004]

Regardless of if they used currency or not, as a race the Andalites are clearly more self sufficient than humans are. For one thing, they only seem to eat grass/plants which grow in the fields of their planet, so they have no need to buy food. The same thing applies to the water they drink. Also they only use basic shelter for their homes due to spending most of their time outside, and they probably build their own scoops.