Poll: Federation or Galactic Empire?

[shadowstriker86]

Let's play a hypothetical game here guys:

Suppose the private sector really advances quickly (let's say 2 1/2 years) and not only manages to fly ships back and forth from the earth to the moon/mars but also manages to find a way to quickly colonize and create permanent stable cities. Now suppose someone asks you to create a government of sorts for these new colonies. What do you go with, a Federation or Galactic Empire? (as if i really have to explain where these are from)

 

[JoJo]

Federation, given the distances between the Earth and it's colonies, a top-down government approach wouldn't really be practical. Better to give them a wide degree of autonomy while adhering to some basic laws, otherwise the 'Martian War of Independence' could be happening before we know it.

 

[Zhukov]

(as if i really have to explain where these are from)

I, uh... don't know where they're from.

I'm guessing "Galactic Empire" is The Empire from Star Wars.

As for the Federation, that could be anything. It's a pretty nonspecific term.

 

[Muspelheim]

Anything for the Imperium.

http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120408195416/warhammer40k/images/2/26/Aquila_transparent.png

Although, it would be impossible to govern all parts of the Empire efficiently from the capital planet. The various systems and dominions would likely be better off with some autonomy to handle the everyday management of their worlds, like colonial governments.

Local governors answers to planetary lord, that answers to the system chancellor, that answers to the dominion council that answers to the Empire. The more local the matter is, the earlier it becomes entirely a local concern.

As long as they play nice, follow the laws and general directions from Earth and call once in a while, they won't recieve a starfleet filled with void grenadiers.

 

[Heronblade]

If control could be established to the point that the distance between planets was irrelevant to the efficiency of governing, empire.

Since the former is pretty much impossible, federation.

 

[Basement Cat]

Federation.

The Empire was evil. This is a no-brainer for me, and I prefer Star Wars to Star Trek even though I like both.

 

[The Enquirer]

In spite of being more of a star wars fan a federation does make more sense. Once empires expand to a certain size they inevitably collapse upon themselves.

 

[UniversalRonin]

You know what, I'm going a shade more evil that either. A corporation. run out of the earth 'Head office' with executives appointed and 'sacked' by the board. Above the rule of law, each employee paid according to how useful they are, and when they stop being useful, they're 'retired'. (I can has Persian cat to stroke evilly?)

 

[Bruce]

Total independence, apart from maintaining control of the shipping.

That effectively means that the corporations have no real accountability - as any government the various member states came up with would have to play nice or suddenly find themselves cut off.

Because there is no direct control, the bulk of the blame for poor conditions within the city states would fall upon their own governments, instead of being an issue for my happy little shipping magnates.

Eventually the city states will come up with their own shipping, but that is what space piracy and plausible deniability are for.

Captcha was: Which one is food?

It didn't accept pasta salad.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I'll start an Empire with a promise (never fulfilled) to change things to a constitutional monarchy. The rebellion is my children's children's problem.

 

[fenrizz]

I always did want my very own empire, so I'll go with that.

Now I just need to compile a list of people to be shoot against the wall of justice.
Then build a mighty fleet of military vessels and a large merchant fleet.

 

[Hawk eye1466]

Fear will keep the local governments in line!

I'd go empire with some modifications of my own so there shouldn't be any rebellions and if there are get soldiers that can aim right, mostly because giving all the planets a lot of autonomy means after some time your decisions are more suggestions to them and once they all decide they don't need you everything goes wrong. So empire if only because I think it'd be fun to be the ruler of the cosmos!

 

[Hawk of Battle]

Anything for the Imperium.

http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120408195416/warhammer40k/images/2/26/Aquila_transparent.png

Damn, Ninja'd

But yeah, the Imperium has successfully run a galactic empire of 1 million worlds for 10,000 years, it must be doing something right...

 

[2xDouble]

(as if i really have to explain where these are from)

I, uh... don't know where they're from.

I'm guessing "Galactic Empire" is The Empire from Star Wars.

As for the Federation, that could be anything. It's a pretty nonspecific term.

There are a number of galactic federations in fiction, but the most common reference is to the United Federation of Planets (or "DOOP") from Space Track.

 

[O maestre]

Federation, given the distances between the Earth and it's colonies, a top-down government approach wouldn't really be practical. Better to give them a wide degree of autonomy while adhering to some basic laws, otherwise the 'Martian War of Independence' could be happening before we know it.

Well you could have the same thing with an Empire, give them autonomy as long as they pay tithes and taxes WH40K style.

A unifying figurehead would be even more valuable if the distance between earth and its colonies is too great. What reason would the populace need to maintain loyalty to earth if there isn't at least the perception of unity. Then again the american revolution did happen, I guess only Canadians should be applicable as colonists.

 

[Something Amyss]

(as if i really have to explain where these are from)

Since there have been more than one of each within popular science fiction media, yes, you really do. I'm assuming you mean Trek v Wars, but I don't know that for sure. Hell, there's even a Federation in the Star Wars movies.

And if that's the case, Federation. The Federation wasn't uncorruptable, but the Empire was basically ruled by one dude who consolidated power quite easily. This could be because the entire galaxy was populated by morons, though.

There are a number of galactic federations in fiction, but the most common reference is to the United Federation of Planets (or "DOOP") from Space Track.

Man, you probably pissed off a bunch of people with that line. Everyone knows that it's the Galaxy Alliance (AKA USF) from Galaxy Quest.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Federation or Galactic Empire? (as if i really have to explain where these are from)

...?

Yeah, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. The "Federation" could refer to the "United Federation of Planets" from Star Trek, the "Colonial Federation" from Battlestar Galactica, or it could refer to the "Galactic Federation" from Metroid.

Or it could refer to any other Federation ever from a work I'm not familiar with or am forgetting.

As for Galactic Empire... yeah, no clue where that's from. I suppose I could Google it, but with a name that generic, I'd probably get hits from half a dozen different sci-fi series.

 

[EHKOS]

Total independence, apart from maintaining control of the shipping.

That effectively means that the corporations have no real accountability - as any government the various member states came up with would have to play nice or suddenly find themselves cut off.

Because there is no direct control, the bulk of the blame for poor conditions within the city states would fall upon their own governments, instead of being an issue for my happy little shipping magnates.

Eventually the city states will come up with their own shipping, but that is what space piracy and plausible deniability are for.

Captcha was: Which one is food?

It didn't accept pasta salad.

I'm with you on this. And hopefully some of the governments will work out well for the people. Although if history truly is repeated, then they won't....but we can dream.

 

[skywolfblue]

Star-Trek Federation Vs. Star Wars Galactic Empire?

Galactic Empire! The federation in Star Trek is labeled idyllic, but it's rather horrific if you think about it.

A moneyless communist state, rather ruthlessly enforced by a federation "exploration" warship showing up at your door if anything is out of line. Where everyone wears the same style of jumpsuit and behave more like drones then individuals. And a Prime Directive that says "fuck the helpless, we don't want to stain our fingers".

For all its evils, the Star Wars Galactic empire is a million times more diverse and free. Ironically, the galactic empire is more true to a loose "federation" then the Federation itself is.

 

[Albino Boo]

Federation, given the distances between the Earth and it's colonies, a top-down government approach wouldn't really be practical. Better to give them a wide degree of autonomy while adhering to some basic laws, otherwise the 'Martian War of Independence' could be happening before we know it.

You could have a decentralised feudal empire just easily. Historically speaking, feudal empires have been quite good with dealing with poor communications and having minimal administrative overheads.