Federation as Hegemony?

[selenite0]

A fascinating alternate interpretation of the United Federation of Planets. And I can't see any holes in it from the canon I remember. Of course it would mean there was a lot of important stuff never mentioned on stage . . .

Hat tip to joel_rosenberg.

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Very interesting and thought provoking. TNG did look into issues of corruption in the ranks, but I'm going to have to look harder for non-Human Admirals.

"Why don't we ever see Captain Kirk or Capt. Picard on tribute collection runs?" What is wealth? In a universe where food can be replicated by the same technology as transporters, all simple and complex compounds can be manufactured with the push of a button. There ends the drug trade; drug runners don't move product, but software in their pockets.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

There was at least one Vulcan admiral (in DS9) but she was apparently a JAG rather than line command.

With replicators you still have some things worth paying for:
1. Energy to run your replicator
2. Labor (if it's the ultimate service economy this is the big part)
3. Intellectual property in designs and entertainment
4. Rare elements, if the replicator isn't doing energy to matter conversion.
5. Odd stuff replicators can't make and "originals".

So you can have interstellar trade, but Cyrano Jones's one-man ship makes more sense than something the size of a supertanker.

[estokien.livejournal.com]

Perhaps one reason that there are so many humans in starfleet is that most jobs on earth are essentially pointless. Sisko's dad runs a restaurant for people who are looking for a cooked meal rather than a replicated one. It is kind of a create your own busy work setup. Pretty much only starfleet and the scientific researchers seem to be doing much of any importance.

But it certainly does make you wonder what provisions are in the Federation membership documents. It probably is true that tribute of some sort is entailed, at least in terms of helping to keep starfleet running. With the matter/anti-matter reactors, I don't think energy is a huge problem for them (and is not easy to transport in large quantities in any case), so probably contributions in labor, and some degree of base facilities are probably the major considerations. I imagine any planet that wishes to join with the federation probably has a bunch of their populace eager to enter the starfleet ranks in any case.

I'd think the one thing that would be at a premium in a system with virtually unlimited energy would be living space. The fact that Sisko's dad can have a sizable restaurant, and Picard's brother a vineyard seems to mean they either have tremendous privileges or they've got a solution to population pressures.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Restaurant meals may be "essentially pointless" today but they're awfully popular with some people, including me. I think that's another part of the service industry that'll keep expanding as society gets wealthier.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Best comment from the Volkh post:

Frankly, I can't take seriously a universe where humanity has subdued human nature. No profit motive, no crime, no poverty? These are not humans, these are Borg with more attractive implants.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

"Reason" magazine did a cover story on the anniversary of "Star Trek". There was one outraged letter in response (I agreed with it) that the Federation is one system of government in SF that should *not* be lauded. He proposed that the SF governmental system to be praised was the Rebellion from "Star Wars" with its dedicated fight against the centralized tyranny of the Empire.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I liked the Rebellion more before Lucas revealed they were fighting to reimpose the rule of an unelected genetically-chosen military caste with no checks and balances.

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

Ooh, forgot about that. I tend to remember the first movie (and by that I mean the one that came out in 1977) and my memories of the films fade after. But you do indeed have a point.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I'd go more for this kind of rebels:
http://www.rhjunior.com/NT/00660.html (intro poster)
http://www.rhjunior.com/NT/00674.html (start of storyline)

NB: The story is a movie, with the star and a couple of his buddies MST3King it.

"Then they should be made to"

[bitpig.livejournal.com]

I always root for the Empire.

And for Zeon. Char was right! Sieg Zeon!

Re: "Then they should be made to"

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

I hate Char Aznable.

Re: "Then they should be made to"

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Thank heavens for Wikipedia or I'd have no clue what you guys are talking about.

Re: "Then they should be made to"

[selenite.livejournal.com]

You've probably read this, but if not, you must:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/248ipzbt.asp