Theory of a large Federation
Thesis: The Federations has an extension of almost ten thousand light years..
- Star Trek Encyclopedia (text) 10000 ly
- Star Trek: First Contact (quote) 8000 ly
- [TNG] The Chase (map) more than 10000 ly
- Numbered sectors belonging to the Federation 3000 ly or more
- Position of real stars 2000 ly or more
- Situational relations to locations outside the Federation 5000 ly or more
Conclusion: The theory of a large Federation can't be ignored for the mere reason that it is directly proven by the Star Trek Encyclopedia and Star Trek: First Contact. It is true that there is almost no on screen support (only in The Next Generation), however, some special aspects of the Star Trek universe underpin this theory.
Theory of a small Federation
Thesis: The Federation territory has an extension of a few hundred light years, possibly even less than hundred light years.
- [DS9] In the Hands of the Prophets (map) about 200 ly
- [DS9] The Way of the Warrior (quote) 200-500 ly
- [DS9] Trials and Tribble-ations (quote) 200 ly
- [DS9] The Visitor (quote) hundreds of light years
- [DS9] Valiant (calculation) 100-200 ly
- Rational considerations 500 ly at maximum
Conclusion: Especially the DS9 universe is mainly based on a only few hundred light years large Federation, but also rational considerations in view of the government of such a large empire and the voyages throughout the entire Federation, that were shown in all episodes and movies, support these theory.
8. Solution of the size problem by a synthesis of both theories
Apparently, we now have two theories for the size of the Federation, both supported by a considerable number of aspects and which both can't be disregarded without further considerations: after all, the 8000 ly large Federation has been officially confirmed, and the whole DS9 universe is based on a small Federation, that would collapse like a house of cards if the distances between the core planets of all important empires were longer than 100 ly.
Because both theories consequently have a right to exist, there is no point in the further search for the ultimate proof for the one or the other theory; instead, a unification of both has to be considered, although this seems to be impossible at the first glance.
However, the solution, which has been mentioned briefly several times in the course of the argumentation, is surprisingly simple and on closer examination, it can be easily derived from one of the apparently most persuasive proofs for the theory of a large federation:
Star Trek: First Contact
"The Federation consists of 150 planets, spread over 8000 ly"
With this quote of Captain Picard, the extension of the Federation territory is fixed to the 10000 ly suggested by the Encyclopedia, that is incontrovertible.
However, one should pay attention to the tricky wording, which does not explicitly demand a Federation territory of several thousand light years in the end. Instead, the spatial distribution of the planets over a region with a diameter/length/width/height of 8000 ly is mentioned. This finally leads to the idea that the Federation territory, where quite a lot non-aligned planets like Antede or Antica are located and that therefore naturally must have numerous "holes", not only resembles a Swiss cheese - even then the territory would still be far too large to facilitate the short distances seen in ST DS9 - but is distributed over this area in several fragments - what eventually corresponds to a synthesis of both competing theories, which shall be elaborated in the next paragraph.
How the quote from Star Trek: First Contact shows, the central idea of the new theorie does not concern the maximum extension of the Federation - indeed, this is completely peripheral -, but refers to its inner structure. The Federation must not simply be decentralized (that is already a basic criteria for every interstellar alliance that exceeds a size of several dozen light years - otherwise, the political order would not be maintainable), but has to have a polycentrical structure with differing hierarchy.
That means: on the one hand, there is a core region of the Federation that is only few hundred light years or even less than hundred light years large, where all core planets (Earth, Alpha Centauri, Vulcan, Andor, Tellar) are situated. This area is restricted by the five adjoining powers and has not significantly changed its size for hundred or more years. In the relatively small core region, the whole action of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine takes place, what explains the short distances and travelling times in this series as well as the huge ship fleets that operate in a pretty small volume.
On the other hand, the Federation also extends outside the space taken up by the "Core Federation" and the five other empires far into deep space - within a region with just the considered diameter of 8000 ly. Here, there are several single planets settled by the Federation, but the area is primarily dominated by agglomerations or concentrations of Federation planets that are far more extensive in size and population and which form autonomous "fragments" of the Federation each. Examples for such Federation fragments, which are detached from the core region and completely self-sufficient with an own administration and defense, are the regions around Deneb, Antares and Rigel - just those stars which there mentioned as "boundary stars" of the Federation territory with regard to the theory of a large Federation. This wide-ranging and all in all more sparsely populated Federation region was explored by the Enterprise-D within seven years. On the one hand, the Enterprise could travel through the vastness unknown space between the different core regions without encountering large fleets of the Federation, and on the other hand, she could fly to the single "fragments" - mainly the core region, but also the Denebian region (in the first year) and the Rigel region (near Mintaka, in year five)
We have reached the point where of course the legitimate question arise how this theory can be conclusively proven. Basically, the plausibility and logic supports this solution of the Federation size problem, if we consider the political structure of the Federation, Starfleet's mission and the general state development in deep space (even though this point has not been empirically proven yet). At any rate, we cannot compare interstellar planetary alliances with international alliances, how Rick Sternbach (who has quasi laid the foundation for this theory with his own Federation+colonies thesis) has constantly remarked. From a general point of view, space actually is a single, homogenous, politically neutral zone, since 99.9% are vacuum. Only in extremely long distances - within the Milky Way every 1pc on average, there is a point that can be claimed at all, and in still longer distances there is a class M planet, which is inhabitable and only therefore relevant for a interstellar empire.
In addition, the Federation isn't an empire like the Romulan Star Empire or the Klingon Empire, but a loose alliance of planets with any spatial position, which fulfill certain criteria. Consequently, the possibility of a compact, clearly isolated region, how it is the case with a empire based on conquest and subjugation, is not given from the very beginning, but a) a certain distance of the planets and b) a very large spatial volume, in which these planets are scattered, is forced.
By the probable historical development of the Federation in view of Starfleet's mission, the synthesis of both theories is underpinned: Starfleet was founded in the 22nd century with the maxim to explore unknown regions, to seek out new life and to boldly go where no one has gone before. Therefore, Starfleet has specifically explored deep space at this "pioneer time" and surveyed especially the scientifically interesting regions near Rigel, Rigel, even the border of the Galaxy and set up Federation outposts at this far away locations. On the other hand, while exploring deep space Starfleet surely has also discovered populated planets already fulfilling the membership criteria of the Federation, which were then admitted to the planetary alliance. In both cases, the Federation was extended at certain, single points, without systematically exploring the region near Earth - planet for planet. This was only done in the 23rd century, the "settlement period", what is proven by the discovery of numerous new civilizations only a few dozen light years away from Earth during the five year missions of the Enterprise. Simultaneously, the more significant outposts that were too far away from the Federation for a direct connection, were extended and and further planets were settled near the core planets, for instance Antares or Rigel. While the central core region of the Federation grow together to a large extent, because of their long distances these regions remained self-contained - the described "fragments" of the Federation arose.
However, plausibility, logic and realism are not the sole arguments by any means, which support this new theory. In the end, all arguments which were mentioned with regard to the two apparently opposing theories, do also apply to the synthesis of both theories: as already mentioned, there is no reason that the diverse indications for the Federations size in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine always applied merely to the core region, which in the end is the main part of the Federation. In contrast, in ST:TNG, the non-aligned space between the Federation and the other Federation regions were explored.
With the survey of these extensive, several thousand light years large regions by the Enterprise-D and numerous other deep space vessels, the large numbers of the sector system are understandable: with a mere chronological designation of newly discovered sectors, already countless regions outside the core region were explored and numbered, when the new sectors in the Alpha Quadrant joined the Federation, what then results in numbers in the range of 21000 near Cardassian space.
Because stars like Barzan, Rigel, Antares and Deneb do not belong to the core region of the Federation, the transgalactic situational relations and the situation of real stars does not contradict with the other arguments concerning the Federation size any longer. But forming a coherent alliance is made much more difficult due to the technical limitations of warp propulsion (maximum sustainable speed still warp 6) and of subspace radio (interstellar only realizable with subspace relay stations every 22.65 ly). Basically, one has to assume that the regions are completely self-contained concerning supply and defense, proven by the situation of important fleet yards near Antares IV and Rigel. Because of the self-organization, there is no need for defense and support. However, also a political independence to a large extent cannot be prevented, but because the Federation isn't an empire and all really important planets are concentrated within the central core region, a political connection between the outer regions and the core regions is actually not necessary. These regions do mostly profit from the Federation membership - for example due to the opportunity to set up own ship yards according to the pattern of the Federation and to form own tactical fleets within Starfleet (what leads to the described situation, that "the left hand of Starfleet does not know of the actions of the right hand"), while raw material deliveries (e.g. Dilithium from the mines of Rigel XII) or technology transfers (with the construction of starships in the yards of the outer regions and the following re-assignation and transportation to a yard in the core region) are only necessary to a low extent.
In the end, the Federation membership mainly refers to the belief in common values - freedom, legal protection, protection of the dignity of all life forms and a common purpose of life - in order to attempt to advance the own existence as well as the rest of the Federation, irrespective how far the rest of the "large family" is away.
