Category:Government of the United Citizen Federation

From Starship Troopers RP

Keeping a society like the Federation running smoothly and efficiently is an enormous task. Responsible for everything from defending a territory spanning light years in every direction to providing health care for billions of citizens and civilians to making certain every schoolchild is given three nutritious meals a day, the Federation government is the most immense organisation in the history of humanity. It employs literally millions of people, both citizen and civilian, in a mighty bureaucracy that is somehow able to see to all the needs of its population and still remain within its annual budget.

The many planets of the United Citizens’ Federation exist in more or less peaceful harmony with each other, united through SICON and the traditions and ideals that have bound the Federation together since its conception. Today vacation planets, mining worlds, manufacturing installations and military outposts litter the interstellar landscape of the Federation and one world, Sanctuary, even serves as the headquarters of SICON itself. With a governmental structure so vast and so widespread, SICON requires an entire planet and incredible layers of security and secrecy to keep it functioning smoothly. Between the numerous colonies across countless distant worlds, planetary and orbital installations, some set up to train military volunteers, some to house those few separatists that exist in the United Citizens’ Federation, humanity has taken to the stars and claimed them as her own.

Political Factions of the UCF

The Federal Constitution does not support the existence of political parties of the kind so common to the pre-Disorder democracies of the world. The founders of the Federation, who had endured the final and inevitable result of such governments, knew full well that the political parties of the old world had hastened and worsened the slide of their governments into corruption, complacency and ineptitude. They were determined not to let the same thing happen to the new world they were creating. Such political parties, no matter how benign their initial purpose may have been, soon became servants only of themselves. The politicians they controlled were herded and often culled like sheep or cattle, the fortunes of such politicians waxing and waning not by how well they served the state, but by how well they served the party. Of course, humans by their very nature form groups, a trait that goes back through the evolutionary ladder to humanity’s most distant ancestors. Thus even though there are no official political parties, there are definite political camps in the government of the Federation.

Compared to the political parties of the pre-Disorder world, the differences between these factions are exceedingly minor. The politicians of the Federation are united in their vision of an ever-brighter destiny for humanity; they merely differ in how to achieve these aims. For example, none of the elected members of the Federation government, from a city councilor to the prime councilor of the Federation Council himself, believe that humanity should stop expanding its holdings and influence in the galaxy. However, they may have differences as to how humanity should go about this, some (who might have a corporation that produces the prefabricated buildings used as the foundation of a colony among their constituents) believing in plunging straight ahead and colonising as many worlds as possible as quickly as possible, while others (who may have a defence contractor among their constituents) advocating a slow and steady approach to colonisation, only launching a colony after the entire area has been thoroughly and repeatedly investigated by SICON and perhaps only after establishing a military base on the targeted world.

The example given above actually highlights one of the more dramatic divisions in Federation politics. Other differences certainly exist at all levels of government but, though they are of varying importance to the people of the Federation, they would appear vanishingly small to an outside observer.

Political Divisions of the UCF

This section of Citizens’ Federation is not concerned with the factions within the Federation government mentioned above but rather with the actual geographical divisions that impact the Federation government itself. Just as many of the cultures of the old world have been preserved in the Federation today, so too have many of the old borders. This was a difficult topic in the days of the Federation’s founders, who were bitterly divided on the issue. Some felt that allowing the old borders to stand was to court disaster in the form of nostalgic nationalist sentiment, that it was wiser by far to simply wipe the slate clean, redistributing land into geographical regions of equal size and, insomuch as it was possible, equal population. Other founders felt that this very plan would lead to disaster, that people across the planet were so weary of governmental hubris and arbitrariness that an action they might legitimately see as a move to deprive them of their own cultural identities, nomatter what its actual motivation, would be enough to cause whole segments of the population to rise up again. Ultimately, the second view won out and the traditional borders of the world, some so old they had been carved with sword and bow, were allowed to stand. Each nation of the former world is still considered a nation today, though all of them are inextricably tied to the greater Federation and each of them is governed identically beneath the aegis of the UCF as a whole.

Initially, the first off-planet colonies of the Federation, on Luna, Mars, Europa and Io, were considered the property of the FSA, which oversaw their government through a liaison with the Federal Council. After the incident on Io, however, the Federation understood that the current situation could not stand. In the aftermath, as the FSA and the Federal Council worked to insure that such a dark day of history would never repeat itself, the Federal Council voted to alter the legal status of such off-world colonies. In return for stepped-up security measures, each of the colonies was granted nationhood and a seat at the Federation table, no longer under the direct authority of the FSA. As humanity continued to spread outward and the first stellar colonies were established, nationhood was likewise extended to them. In the case of most of these stellar colonies, with only one inhabited planet or moon in each star system, the governor of the colony (see below), was effectively in control of an entire star system. Those stellar colonies which consisted of multiple colonies around the same star would have multiple governors, one for each inhabited world. There are some exceptions to the above, however. In the case of the twin orbital colonies of Castus and Pollor in the Barnard’s Star system, for example, the populations of the two installations are so small that the Federal Council has only allotted one governor to rule the entire star system.

Representation with respect to population density has always been a bone of contention in the government of the Federation. Every governor, whether he has custody of a nation, a colony or an entire star system, has an equal voice in the government, regardless of the citizen population in the territory he governs. The fact that this places colonies like Iskander, with an 80% citizen population, on the same level as colonies like Shoreridge III, with a population that is only two or three percent citizen, is a commonly raised grievance in the Federal Council. The government has studied the possibility of changing the political division system it currently uses, but thus far has not seen fit to make a change.

Organisation of the UCF

In truth if not in recognised fact, the Federation has two branches – the Administration and SICON (Strategically Integrated Coalition of Nations). The latter is an unofficial partner of the Administration in setting policy, effectively forming the enforcement to the Administration’s legislative and executive duties. It is an accepted fact that while SICON is technically subject to the authority of the UCF administration, the reverse is considerably more accurate in anything but the most mundane of matters. Even with this state of affairs, the United Citizens’ Federation as a governmental institution wields complete authority in all matters not directly related to the military. Control begins at a city level with councilors, elected by citizens who claim permanent residence in that city, and their administrative staff. While the councilors have enough authority to appropriate funds for city projects and pass judgement on purely internal matters, anything greater must be passed up the executive hierarchy to national governors. Governors handle the daily legal matters of a single country and vote in nation/bloc affairs such as cross-country building projects and advisory actions sent to the true power in the United Citizens’ Federation – the Federal Council. This executive body forms an interstellar parliament with each recognised system under Federation control (which obviously excludes the unofficial colonies) given a single vote and all matters save security decided by 3/5th approval. Council members are selected from the sum total of national governors and have true jurisdiction over the entire solar system in the case of a star with only one colony world or a single planet in the few instances of multiple settled worlds within a system (Sol and Alpha Centauri, for instance). Where multiple governors exist in a star system, one of their number, agreed upon within that group, either fills the role of council member himself, having called an election to decide his successor to the role of governor, or has the right to appoint any citizen within his area of control to take on that role for him. There are some star systems with multiple colonies, however, that have only one governor. The prime councilor, a position with a five year term decided by a vote of the Federal Council between candidates receiving the endorsement of SICON, has first pass veto rights and the deciding vote in any deadlock or matter not receiving approval by normal vote. The prime councilor also has the last word in Federation security issues; his opinions and decision are almost always the expressed preference of SICON.

Though it may go without saying, it should be noted that every position in the government from the lowest member of a Councilor’s staff to the seat of the prime councilor himself can only be filled by a citizen. Civilians cannot apply for a government role; they have not proven themselves to have the interests of the Federation at heart and cannot therefore be trusted to hold a position of responsibility. As noted above, prime councilors serve five-year terms with the continuous option for renewal if they retain the approval of SICON and win a majority rule vote by the Federal Council. All other positions of authority (councillors, governors and council members) serve for life or until the mandatory government officials’ retirement age of 80. When a position below prime councilor becomes available due to death, retirement or other incident, the most applicable position above it elevates someone from the level of the vacancy to fill the now vacant spot. For example, the city of New Angeles loses their Councilor and a large part of his staff to an earthquake. It is the responsibility of the West Union governor to choose a replacement for the councilor from the fallen councilor’s surviving staff. If the entire staff were slain, the governor would have his work cut out for him as the selection of an entirely new Councilor and administrative office would have to be undertaken. By Federation law, no post in the UCF can go vacant longer than one standard month (30 days). If it does, filling the position(s) involved becomes the sole responsibility of the prime councilor. If at the end of another solar month the vacancies are not filled, the prime councilor will be removed from office under a declaration of No Confidence and the Federal Council will be required to handle the matter.

Departments of the UCF Government

In order to properly administrate a territory that is as vast as the United Citizens’ Federation, the UCF government infrastructure is divided into a number of different bureaucracies, each with its own responsibilities and heirarchy. These departments of the government are not headed by elected officials but instead by individuals appointed by the prime councilor at the beginning of his administration (with the exception of SICON, which appoints its own leadership). The majority of the positions of importance or note within these organisations are reserved for citizens, though almost all of them do have civilian employees, ranging from research scientists to clerical workers and janitors.

Economic Services

The Economic Services division of the Federation government plays an extremely important role in the lives of every man, woman and child in the Federation. It handles the disbursement of payroll into the private accounts of citizens and civilians, as well as assesses and withholds appropriate taxes from that payroll. Additionally, it is the ultimate authority in maintaining the integrity of the Federation economic structure and acts as the oversight agency for the Federation Stock and Commodities Exchange in London.

Federation Colonisation Commission

The Federation Colonisation Commission is charged with maintaining the infrastructure of all Federation colonies, from the moment construction on the colony begins. Additionally, it is the FCC that must actually find and recruit colonists for every new colony SICON chooses to create.

Federation Communications Directive

The Federation Communications Directive has only one area of concern, but it is an enormous concern. The FCD is directly responsible for the maintenance and programming of FedNet, the immense communications organ of the government and the primary source of news and entertainment for the people of the UCF.

Federal Justice Division

Initially part of Social Services, the Federal Justice Division became an arm of the government in its own right a century after the drafting of the Federal Constitution. The FJD is responsible for the administration of law enforcement, trials and punishment of criminals throughout the Federation. It is also responsible for hiring and retaining all judges and public defenders (police officers are hired at the local level). It should be noted that the FJD only has authority over civilians and citizens who have retired from Federal Service. In the case of an active member of the military, SICON handles all trials and punishment under military justice. The FJD is also one of the few areas of Federation government where a civilian can work in a position of importance. Although judgeships are limited to citizens only, there is simply too much demand for public defenders to limit the position to those who have a franchise.

SICON

SICON, the Strategically Integrated Coalition of Nations, is the military arm of the Federation and is commonly considered to be as powerful as the Federal Council itself. SICON encompasses Fleet, Mobile Infantry, Military Intelligence and all other auxiliary services. It maintains all Federation military bases and is the executor of Federation military policy.

Social Services

Of all the branches of the Federation government, only Social Services can compare with SICON in sheer size and scope. The health, education and employment of the citizens and civilians of the Federation all lie within the numerous bureaucracies that make of the giant organisation known as Social Services.

Civilian Impact on the UCF Government

Although civilians, having declined their right to take part in Federal Service and thereby earn the sovereign franchise of citizenship, have no vote in the governing of the UCF, that should not be taken to mean that are not of vital importance to the government. After all, the majority of the population is made up of civilians and any government that was to actively ignore such a significant percentage of its people would be fundamentally flawed. Elected officials in the UCF government, from the council members of the smallest towns to the prime councilor himself, are in government to see to the needs of all the people of the Federation. Though they are elected by the citizens, it is their sacred duty to care for citizens and civilians alike. Just as anyone within the population of the Federation has the right to political dissent, so too do they all have the right to petition their elected leaders (or even non-elected members of the government, such as the vast majority of officials in Social Services or Economic Services) to bring to light a perceived wrong or to seek a redress of grievances. Of course, the time of any given government official, no matter what his role within the greater organisation of the UCF government, is quite limited, which sometimes precludes the official from being able to spend as much time and energy as he would like to with a concerned civilian. Duties to the Federation itself must trump duties to a single civilian.

There are some civilian organisations that have a significant amount of influence with the government. Many of these are actually organisations with combined civilian and citizen membership, such as New Justice, which opposes some elements of the UCF penal system. Whenever a large enough number of citizens and civilians feel strongly enough about an issue to organise themselves around it and press their concerns in a tasteful and law abiding manner, it is only right that the government listen to what they have to say. More influential than these dissenting groups, however, are those which merely represent some essential element of Federation society outside that of the government or military. Perhaps the most well known is the Civilian Corporate Coalition, a loose organisation of civilian leaders of corporations representing a variety of interests, tremendous specialised knowledge and a staggering amount of wealth. Usually abbreviated as the CCC, this group works to set and maintain business practices throughout the Federation, and often acts as an unofficial bridge between the government and the private sector.

The reason for the influence of an organisation like the CCC is the specialised knowledge its members and representatives are able to offer to the government. Though any elected or unelected official in the UCF government should see it as his duty to know as much as he can about those aspects of Federation society, economy, laws and so forth related to his position, it is impossible for him to match the specialised knowledge of someone who makes his life’s work out of just one of these things. For example, if the Federal Council and SICON want to increase the production of Marauder power armour suits tenfold, they would be well advised to discuss these wishes with the leaders of the corporations that manufacture essential parts of the suits to determine when, or even if, such a plan would be feasible. More broadly, if the Federal Council is considering adopting, dropping or modifying its price controls on a given trade good, they will seek the advice both of the Economic Services division of the UCF government and the leaders of the corporations involved with that trade good in order to gain the best possible perspective on how the proposed action will affect the Federation’s economy. Membership in the CCC reads like a who’s who of the largest and most powerful corporations in the Federation. Among the corporations (and sometimes groups of corporations) that make up its membership roster are the Morita Arms Company, ECCO (Expanded Consortium of Civilian Operators) and Hammond Turner Shipping, the largest civilian transport and cargo corporation in the Federation (with the largest fleet of ships outside of SICON itself ). Each of these corporations pays a hefty annual membership fee, which goes to maintain the CCC’s immense offices and small army of both civilian and citizen employees in Geneva. The CCC is merely the largest and most general of its ilk. There are numerous other organisations representing various specialised groups throughout the Federation, such as farmers, miners, police officers, schoolteachers and construction workers.

Pages in category ‘Government of the United Citizen Federation’

The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total.