Federation Founders

[Bry_Sinclair]

I'm just wondering what folks thoughts were on just who all was involved in the founding of the Federation. Was it just the "big four" (Andor, Earth, Tellar and Vulcan)? Or do you think there would be others (such as the Denobulans, Rigellians, etc)?

In Michael Jan Friedman's "Starfleet: Year One" there were at least four (maybe up to six) other worlds involved in the creation of the United Federation of Planets. This is the path I always think that it took, with the big four being the major powers at the time and others signing up following after seeing what happened during the Romulan War (so as much out of fear and concerns over their own security than anything else in the beginning).

As far as I'm aware nothing has ever been said that excludes others involved in the formation of the Federation, they've just been overlooked.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[C.E. Evans]

I never had a problem with the Federation starting off fairly small with just "the big four" (some works have included Alpha Centauri as a fifth founder). It could have been that in the beginning, the Federation was a frail upstart that even some future members might have originally thought was overly ambitious and wouldn't last even last a year. It might even have taken a while for the Federation to really get going (as far as membership) and be taken seriously, IMO.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Alpha Centauri as a fifth founder

The human colony or the alien race?

It might even have taken a while for the Federation to really get going (as far as membership) and be taken seriously, IMO.

I imagine there would be quite a number who would think that such an endeavour was doomed to fail and for the UFP to get some clout behind it.

 

[David Weller]

Starfleet: Year One was rendered mute when the Enterprise tv series launched.

It might be better to refer to Christopher Bennett’s Rise of the Federation (which I have but haven’t read yet).

 

[Timo]

Might also be Vulcans stayed out of the nonsense initially, like the US from the League of Nations. Sure, they were present when the Charter was signed, but only to sneer at it.

SF: Year One is at odds with ENT how? With the later books, perhaps, but ENT? That the serious military skippers don't mention the butterfly catcher Archer at all is more or less to be expected...

TImo Saloniemi

 

[David Weller]

SF: Year One is at odds with ENT how? With the later books, perhaps, but ENT? That the serious military skippers don't mention the butterfly catcher Archer at all is more or less to be expected...

TImo Saloniemi

I’m only going by what I’ve read on various websites. I not up with the Enterprise tv series and have not read SF:Y1.

However, apparently Paramount asked Pocket not to do a SF:Y2 when Enterprise launched.

 

[C.E. Evans]

(some works have included Alpha Centauri as a fifth founder).

The human colony or the alien race?

Either would work.

 

[Samuel]

I've seen stuff that suggested the real impetus behind the Federations formation was not the Earth/Romulan War or anything like that but due to four major spacefaring powers (Earth, Andor, Vulcan, and Tellar) are happening to be located relatively near each other and the creation of the Federation was mainly about avoiding future conflict. And that humans were allowed to take the leading role in the Federation (as the capital world) mainly because none of the other three powers were afraid of or jealous of Earth.

Given the events in Enterprise with the continually conflicts between the Vulcans and Andorians this does seem to make lots of sense.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

However, apparently Paramount asked Pocket not to do a SF:Y2 when Enterprise launched.

Which is a shame because MJF did some great stuff in that book.

I've seen stuff that suggested the real impetus behind the Federations formation was not the Earth/Romulan War or anything like that but due to four major spacefaring powers (Earth, Andor, Vulcan, and Tellar) are happening to be located relatively near each other and the creation of the Federation was mainly about avoiding future conflict. And that humans were allowed to take the leading role in the Federation (as the capital world) mainly because none of the other three powers were afraid of or jealous of Earth.

Given the events in Enterprise with the continually conflicts between the Vulcans and Andorians this does seem to make lots of sense.

That would make a lot of sense.

 

[Samuel]

Well obviously the Andorians wouldn't want the capital to be on Vulcan and the Vulcans wouldn't want the capital to be on Andor. And given how annoying the Tellarites are I doubt anyone wanted it there either. Thus that leaves Earth.

I think our concept of the Federation is distorted by thinking of it as a 23rd century United Nations but with its own kickass military. The UN headquarters was placed in the most powerful nation on Earth when every other major power on Earth had been effectively ruined due to World War Two.

 

[galad2003]

We just don't know beyond what is presented in the shows and they are vague about it. I would assume it was those 4 who took a major part with a few minor races joining in but not being prominent. The Denubolians seemed very friendly and I would expect them to be a founding race too.

 

[Samuel]

We just don't know beyond what is presented in the shows and they are vague about it. I would assume it was those 4 who took a major part with a few minor races joining in but not being prominent. The Denubolians seemed very friendly and I would expect them to be a founding race too.

They could be "very friendly" and still not be part of the Federation. Much less a founding member. IIRC, Switzerland has been "very friendly" for centuries to other nations and was very late to join the United Nations.(2002)

 

[Shawnster]

We just don't know beyond what is presented in the shows and they are vague about it. I would assume it was those 4 who took a major part with a few minor races joining in but not being prominent. The Denubolians seemed very friendly and I would expect them to be a founding race too.

Perhaps there is a difference between the big four and minor contributors. Perhaps the big four were big because they all had colonies on other planets or moons besides their home world. In contrast, perhaps minor founders like Denobulans were not colonizing other star systems despite being warp capable.

So there may be more than the big four who founded the Federation but these minor species are overshadowed.

 

[galad2003]

Perhaps there is a difference between the big four and minor contributors. Perhaps the big four were big because they all had colonies on other planets or moons besides their home world. In contrast, perhaps minor founders like Denobulans were not colonizing other star systems despite being warp capable.

So there may be more than the big four who founded the Federation but these minor species are overshadowed.

I think the biggest factor would be the military forces of the big 4. We know Vulcan and Andor had a decent fleet. Earth was definitely building up. No idea about the Tellarites.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I think the biggest factor would be the military forces of the big 4. We know Vulcan and Andor had a decent fleet. Earth was definitely building up. No idea about the Tellarites.

Seeing how argumentative and confrontational the Tellarite were I'd assume they had a decent military to cover themselves

 

[Tenacity]

The "big four" might have been the only full members at first, with others species being associate members.

There could have been representatives from advanced colonies, with further discussion being needed as to whether colonies could become full member, or if they would permanately be represented through their species homeworlds.

And others species (at their own request) initially having the status of observers.

 

[MacLeod]

Seeing how argumentative and confrontational the Tellarite were I'd assume they had a decent military to cover themselves

Wouldn't it be proper when speaking to an a Telleraite when comapring it to your military to insult it?

 

[Timo]

Given that the Tellarites and the Xindi Arboreals shared ship design, and the latter sort was derided for lack of firepower even compared to Archer's tin can, we can only deduce the Tellarites had a bark much, much worse than their bite.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[uniderth]

I think Earth, Andorians, Tellarites, and Vulcanians are pretty standard. I include Alpha Centauri as a human colony. But everyone seems to forget Mars. I don't see how Earth could join and not Mars, though that would be quite interesting. And is the Moon considered it's own world or is it a United Earth annex? I think the number of founding "world's" is going to be much higher than founding "species."

 

[F. King Daniel]

The UFP may well be just a renamed Coalition of Planets. If so, many of the entrants (bar 6) are listed HERE