Let us assume that Time travel is both possible and as economically affordable as present day flights for both industrial and private use. Would time travelers coming from the future and spending their money be inflationary since the savings/production backing their currency doesn't exist yet? Or would it all sort out with present day people travelling in the future to spend the money made from the future time travelers?
I think a lot of people would go back in time and disconnect your internet before you had a chance to post this question. LOL Ok in actually answering the question...yes, it would cause inflation in that what is perceived to be extra money toward purchasing a product would really not be. But...it would all depend on how prevalent time travel is. I would say taking the money away from the future would probably help it, lol. Conceivably it'd sort of be like people burning all the money the Fed prints, but of course nobody's going to do that.
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?" -Patrick Henry
Every market has people coming and going.
It would all sort out with the present day.
The markets would adjust in the same was as if a demographic of the present population were to physically leave the market and take their business elsewhere.
From an economic point of view, people travelling through time are no different from people travelling through space.
Actually, based on Mishio Kaku's description of time travel, it would only cause inflation in one universe. But maybe not in ours.
For instance, if you went back in time and killed hitler as a child. It would change a particular universe. But World War 2 and holocaust and all of the rest would still have happened in our universe.
also, since there are many universes with inflation, just like there are universes in which dinosaurs still roam the earth, it is not that big of a deal.
I'm not sure market adjust would solve the economic problem, though, since the time travelers could in effect use the money before the adjust. And, in effect, be able to use the money at its pre-inflation value. The same as those who benefit first from current inflationary schemes.
A problem might be accounting for the amount of money in their purse. And so being accused of counterfeiting. Since the time travelers probably would not have any connection to the present time's economy. And even if they were able to convince people they are from the future, which is highly unlikely, this would be similar to a type of fraud.
Let us assume that Time travel is both possible
That makes us have to assume so many other things and likely leads to a break in causality...
I am not sure whether this question has been discredited, but if time travel will exist, where are all the time travelers? Is the present such a dump that no one wants to come here?
I think the time travelers thing was put forward by Stephen Hawking.
But Michio responded. He straight up kaku-blocked that and said that it is likely they have super invisibility powers by then. Like some type of cloaking device.
Which, if that is the case, they are probably afraid to make economic transactions. Since that would require revealing themselves.
You guys realise that time travel would bring about post-scarcity, right? Its power implies the omni-triad normally ascribed to God.
This all depends on this hypothetical time travel operates on a "single fixed timeline" (i.e. all time travel is ultimately just a stable loop, like in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with the time turner or The Time Machine) or a "parallel universes" model, where making a change to the past sends you to another timeline (like in Star Trek). The former will obviously make no differences to the economy, while the later will, but it will be in a totally different universe anyways. In both cases, the point is moot.
Let us assume that Time travel is both possible and as economically affordable as present day flights for both industrial and private use. Would time travelers coming from the future and spending their money be inflationary since the savings/production backing their currency doesn't exist yet?
Very fun scenario. I guess that shows the ridiculousness of paper money all the more. Spending bank notes not jet issued!
"Let us assume that Time travel is both possible and as economically affordable as present day flights for both industrial and private use. Would time travelers coming from the future and spending their money be inflationary since the savings/production backing their currency doesn't exist yet? Or would it all sort out with present day people travelling in the future to spend the money made from the future time travelers?"
I would check out achron, a unique Meta-Time Strategy (Real-Time Strategy which has the most awesome implementation of time travel I have seen to date). (site: www.achrongame.com) In particular, this discussion (http://www.achrongame.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1469) is really relevant. If modern war is like an rts, then achron shows what war would be like with access to time travel. It allows for mind bending tactics like sending a scout to the enemy base, then canceling the order in the past (as you already have the scout information. Another tactic is res
And yes, I proposed the idea of applying this game to the stock market, where you could change descisions regarding wealth.
To anwser your question, yes, bringing money by means of time travel will inflate the currency. Of course, the particulars depend on the implimentation. Still, I think that merely bringing back money isn't really using time travel to its potential.
First of all, time travel would make production vastly easier, for several reasons:
1. Precognition. Due to information sent from the future, people will know what to invest in, what to produce. Time travel will be an effective means of economically calculating. Note that it is probably going to be far easier to send information than a human being. This would also make research of new technologies/means of production accelerated or instantaneous, as any knowledge of new technology can be sent back.
2. People can have the access to the same factor of production multiple times at the same time. The exception being land. Have a unique worker competant at a needed task? Have one hard to reproduce, long lasting prototype? Use time travel to turn that person into a factory.
3. I can use things produced in the future to finance my production now. Cue a stable loop.
4. How time preference works when I can merely skip through time with the press of a button. Can't wait 20 years for that long term investment, no problem, skip forward in time.
I think this might only be feasable (unless you are talking about multiple universes) with the creation of meta-time, a sort of forward progression of events throughout time. Again, see some achron videos for more of a concept of how meta-time could work.
"This all depends on this hypothetical time travel operates on a "single fixed timeline" (i.e. all time travel is ultimately just a stable loop, like in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban with the time turner or The Time Machine) or a "parallel universes" model, where making a change to the past sends you to another timeline (like in Star Trek). The former will obviously make no differences to the economy, while the later will, but it will be in a totally different universe anyways. In both cases, the point is moot."
Sorry, that is wrong with the static universe. Sending money back in time will necessarily increase the supply of money in that time.
"But Michio responded. He straight up kaku-blocked that and said that it is likely they have super invisibility powers by then. Like some type of cloaking device.
Which, if that is the case, they are probably afraid to make economic transactions. Since that would require revealing themselves."
What about self-disguise? And making an economic transaction wouldn't be revealing if it is too small to be noticable. Or if the particulars behind it are concealed.
"I am not sure whether this question has been discredited, but if time travel will exist, where are all the time travelers? Is the present such a dump that no one wants to come here?"
1. Time travel could work in a way such that coming back here is impossible, for example, the boxes in primer. Or time travel is information only.
2. Someone actively prevents time travelers from revealing themselves.
3. Revealing themselves would cause a paradox.
Schools are labour camps.