When Will The Federation Control The Galaxy?

[All Seeing Eye]

By the year 2373 the Federation comprised of 150 member worlds spread across 8000 lightyears.

The Federation was founded in 2161 meaning that it only took 212 years for the Federation to obtain the 150 member worlds spread across 8000 lightyears.

If Federation expansion was to continue at the same rate the Federation would by my reckoning control the entire Milky Way Galaxy by the year 4811.

In your opinion when is the Federation most likely to encompass the entire Milky Way Galaxy?

 

[C.E. Evans]

Never.

I think the Federation will eventually join a larger alliance of other galactic governments that will each maintain their own individual sovereignties, yet be allies in times of crisis much like today's United Nations.

 

[Timo]

...Or then the Fed species, like the Zalkonians and the Ocampa, will evolve beyond the humanoid trappings in a timescale of mere centuries or at most millennia, rendering the issue rather academic. (Such evolution may very well have been built into us all by the same folks who built our humanoidness into us.)

Or then we all see the (intense red and eerie green) light and decide to go Borg.

Political development on the terms of today's Earth or the 24th century Federation is a rather narrow-scoped vision for the future. If there's to be a galaxy-wide community of players, the classic Fed values may be in a distinct minority, and may have no effect on the rules by which the game is played.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Finn]

Not to mention that the Federation may one day encounter a republic with values that make the Federation look like the 22nd Century Klingons.

 

[SFRabid]

My bet is it will start to fracture and eventually seperate into groups.

 

[indolover]

I can't see some species never wanting to join the Federation.

The Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons, Ferengi, the Founders to name a few. All are antithetical to Federation values, since Federation values are based on the human Enlightenment and liberal ideals. What liberalism do the Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons or the Founders believe in? lol. It's also a matter of the nature of other species. Romulans by nature are manipulative, calculated and deceiptful. Cardassians by nature are militaristic and cruel. Klingons by nature are aggressive and warlike. And the Founders by nature believe in order and rigidity. The Ferengi would most likely see Federation values as undermining their way of life.

I think for the most part, species that join the Federation are most like it in terms of outlook.

 

[Timo]

'Course, the UFP already features some unlikely members: the argumentative Tellarites, the supposedly warlike Andorians, the uppity and dismissive Vulcans, the even more uppity, dismissive and slave-owning Ardanans... Klingons might fit right in, really. And Romulans are just Vulcans with a chip on their 80s-fashion shoulder.

Nog is already as good as UFP citizen, and his family seems to find UFP a tolerable framework to work within. The Ferengi in general seem to believe in market niches, and the UFP is just one gaping niche 8,000 ly wide!

Cardassians may be this or that by nature, but they also seem to believe in necessity. I could easily see them becoming members, even if proud and independent ones. They, too, might look down on us humans, but who in the UFP doesn't?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Cheapjack]

The Federation will never CONTROL the galaxy.

It may encompass it.

 

[The Wormhole]

The epilogue of the novel Federation actuall takes place in a future (33rd century, I think) where all spacefaring races of the Milky Way belong to the Federation.

As far as canon is concered, we know by the 26th century Klingons will be Federation members.

 

[C.E. Evans]

As far as canon is concered, we know by the 26th century Klingons will be Federation members.

That was from a potential or alternate future created as a result of the Temporal Cold War still continuing into that era, though. That future could now unfold very differently now...

 

[The Wormhole]

As far as canon is concered, we know by the 26th century Klingons will be Federation members.

That was from a potential or alternate future created as a result of the Temporal Cold War still continuing into that era, though. That future could now unfold very differently now...

Actually, it was the result of the Sphere Builders and their plan. Which was seperate from the TCW.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Re: express yourself or your-life in one word for today.

As far as canon is concered, we know by the 26th century Klingons will be Federation members.

That was from a potential or alternate future created as a result of the Temporal Cold War still continuing into that era, though. That future could now unfold very differently now...

Alternate futures...just like TOS/TNG/DS9/VOY all are now

It's interesting to apply many-worlds theory and think all these potential/alternate futures still exist, like the tv shows, and all the little alternates we saw in everything from "Yesterday's Enterprise" to "Endgame" and "Shockwave".

As for the OP, The Best of Trek #2 published an interesting specualtive article back in '77 (so it's a little dated!), where the Federation (at the time ruling 95% of the galaxy) fractured and died due to internal and external pressures, civil wars and was gone by the year 8000. Think Asimov's Foundation in ten pages

 

[C.E. Evans]

As far as canon is concered, we know by the 26th century Klingons will be Federation members.

That was from a potential or alternate future created as a result of the Temporal Cold War still continuing into that era, though. That future could now unfold very differently now...

Actually, it was the result of the Sphere Builders and their plan. Which was seperate from the TCW.

Not at all. The Sphere Builders were players in the TCW. They were defeated by the Federation in the 26th-Century and then went back in time to the 22nd-Century and manipulated the Xindi into creating a weapon that could wipe out Earth and prevent the Federation from coming to be.

But it all became a moot point when Archer and the gang defeated the Sphere Builders in the 22nd-Century.

 

[TheGodBen]

Never. Switzerland just wont join. By the year 5000 the Federation will encompass almost the entire Milky Way, and expansion will have begun into Andromeda and the other galaxies in the Local Group, but Switzerland will just sit there in the middle of it all refusing to take part. The Kelvans will get a good laugh out of it.

 

[Xerxes1979]

I would argue that the size of the Federation is pretty much maxed out given current communication and travel speeds.

A larger realm would need faster ships or better commincation technology like the comm array the Hirogen were using.

How does represenative government work if it takes years for your ambassador to transit to Earth?


We need Voth transwarp, Cytherian drive, slipstream, Iconinan tech or other for a truly expansive Federation.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I would argue that the size of the Federation is pretty much maxed out given current communication and travel speeds.

A larger realm would need faster ships or better commincation technology like the comm array the Hirogen were using.

How does represenative government work if it takes years for your ambassador to transit to Earth?


We need Voth transwarp, Cytherian drive, slipstream, Iconinan tech or other for a truly expansive Federation.

USS Voyager already brought back ample technology to allow the Federation to develop Transwarp and more likely Slipstream propulsion. With Slipstream the entire Galaxy would be opened up to the Feds. It seems reasonable to assume that the Federation wont be limited to simple warp when other species in the Galaxy have Transwarp capability. Maybe the Federation don't develop it themselves but instead obtain a new member world of a species that has already developed it and is willing to share.
Communication wise It stands to reason that with faster propulsion comes faster communication.

I can't see some species never wanting to join the Federation.

The Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons, Ferengi, the Founders to name a few. All are antithetical to Federation values, since Federation values are based on the human Enlightenment and liberal ideals. What liberalism do the Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons or the Founders believe in? lol. It's also a matter of the nature of other species. Romulans by nature are manipulative, calculated and deceiptful. Cardassians by nature are militaristic and cruel. Klingons by nature are aggressive and warlike. And the Founders by nature believe in order and rigidity. The Ferengi would most likely see Federation values as undermining their way of life.

I think for the most part, species that join the Federation are most like it in terms of outlook.

By the end of DS9 the Cardassians were a defeated people, much more open to the Federation and the Federation were helping them get back on their feet. Even Damar before his death became a new man and even before Cardassias joining of the Federation the Cardassians were more open to peace talks with the Federation and more notably the Bajorans. Don't forget that the military dictatorship that ruled Cardassia was overthrown and the Detapo council (rulers of the people) took power.

The Ferengi if you don't recall ended up with Grand Nagus Rom and his son Nog is a Starfleet officer. Rom was going to change the Ferengi civilisation and make it more tolerable of womens rights and what not.

The Klingons have been steadily working their way to becoming Fed members every series we saw. They became Federation allies, fought by the Federations side in the Dominion war and best of all it's now led by Martok who's spent a lot of time with Starfleet and starfleet officers. His best friend and house member is Worf who served years in Starfleet, grew up on Earth and is now Federation ambassador to Quo'nos.

Romulus is destroyed, what was once a tightly controlled empire is now an Empire in turmoil looking for some kind of help and a new direction. If the Federation does well in aiding the Romulans there's every chance they will come to respect the Federation. Before Nemesis the Romulan senate was more open with the Alpha Quadrant, even the newly elected senate denied the use of Shinzon.

The main problem with the Cardassians and Romulans were the Obsidian order and Tal Shiar. Once the Obsidian order was gone we saw the Cardassians rising up and taking power and kicking out the military dictatorship. With Romulus destroyed and the Tal Shiar likely weakened or also obliterated the Romulans are more free to make their own decisions.

As for the Dominion, Odo has every opportunity to open the Founders up to being more tolerant of solids. He's got years of memories and emotions to share with the link including love for a solid. In time even if the Dominion does not join the Federation or disband itself and allow it's subjugated worlds to join the Federation it can at least have a peace accord with them. More likely though IMO the Founders may eventually agree to disband the Dominion in favour of the Federation.

 

[F. King Daniel]

^At least two alternate near-futures we saw ("All Good Things..." and "Endgame") had severely strained relations between the Federation and the Klingons, who had by then annexed Romulan space (presumably after the supernova destroys Romulus, if you're into reverse-continuity)

 

[All Seeing Eye]

^At least two alternate near-futures we saw ("All Good Things..." and "Endgame") had severely strained relations between the Federation and the Klingons, who had by then annexed Romulan space (presumably after the supernova destroys Romulus, if you're into reverse-continuity)

Endgame did not show strained relations, a specific Klingon house sent ships after Janeway because she stole a piece of technology that they were trying to trade for her shield generator. It stands to reason these Klingons in question would be pissed at the theft.

As for All Good Things, well.......what can I say..........The Ent-D is captained by Riker and it has 3 nacelles. We know now that never happens. The Ent-D is destroyed and never gains an extra nacelle and we actually get the Ent-E. Riker goes on to Captain the Titan.
Since Q was involved I think it stands to reason that the future in All Good Things was a faked future created by Q.

 

[The Wormhole]

^At least two alternate near-futures we saw ("All Good Things..." and "Endgame") had severely strained relations between the Federation and the Klingons, who had by then annexed Romulan space (presumably after the supernova destroys Romulus, if you're into reverse-continuity)

There are referances to Romulus still being around in All Good Things.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Although the Romulans are mentioned, I really don't think Romulus itself is in "All Good Things".
And although the Enterprise-D is destroyed in Generations Riker can still achieve the rank of admiral after his mission on the Titan is over. Maybe he'll have a third nacelle stuck on that instead
(and of course, in this timeline Admiral Riker will be a lot rounder than he was in the AGT future )