Iain Banks makes a compelling argument that the answer is a "yes, but with...curious complications", through his exploration of the issues brought up in his fictional universe of The Culture [1], in his series of novels [2] set in that universe. Note that he explores the margins of his universe; for the 99.999999% of the denizens of his universe, "Fully Automated Luxury Communism" totally works swell for their entire lifespans (hundreds of years).

There are some key technical linchpins that make that universe possible, and commensurately unlikely for us in yours and my lifetimes.

1. Near-free, externality-free, near-Kardashev Type II-scale energy ("The Grid" in his universe). 2. Strong AI, replete with emotions and benevolent AI sapients (even though they eclipse human intelligence by far). 3. FTL, anti-gravity, matter manipulation (molecular level at inter-stellar distances) physics we simply can't even begin to prod at. 4. Nanotech.

But that is one heck of a nice universe to strive for and toss the pebbles of our lives into moving towards however infinitesimal, nicht wahr?

[1] http://www.vavatch.co.uk/books/banks/cultnote.htm [2] http://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-ali...

Wasnt the world of Star Trek as depicted in tv series basically communist/socialist where technologies such as replicators, warp drives and very cheap energy making the "Federation way of life" possible, freeing people to explore space/art/science etc

Basically it depicted world(s) of plenty, tho' yes it did have wars and trade etc, which is what made Deep Space 9 and the Ferengi so interesting :)

The Economics of Star Trek (2000)

http://stardestroyer.net/Empire/Essays/Trek-Marxism.html

If you could explain to the people of an earlier time all our modern conveniences and how many hours we work and how little physical effort goes into almost every job, it would probably sound just like that to them.

If you go just far enough back, the hours we work would sound ridiculous (but I do agree about the effort).

You have to be careful what you are calling work when you make a comparison like that. We might just be calling more things "work." How many people are artists, musicians, writers, comedians, or chefs?

It would probably sound more like a retelling of the "businessman and fisherman" joke.

Depends which era. The workers of the 8-hour work week era would not be impressed.