Are there any good reasons to not want to be in the Federation?

[suarezguy]

I think whenever we see someone complaining about the Federation or otherwise not wanting to be in it, wanting to leave it it seems to be just general xenophobia/species supremacism but could there be other reasons that are not at least directly based on antagonism against others?

There can be argument that being part of huge organization makes it, and all parts of it, too much of a rival to/target for other powers but the Federation does seem pretty genuinely non aggressive, only defensive, and the other powers just generally aggressive, hard to see how they wouldn't just as much or more go after smaller groups, societies or just individual planets.

And the other major reason for preferring independence is just to have/allow more autonomy and sovereignty but the Federation already seems to let its worlds have a lot of that, very few actual requirements or limitations.

 

[Oddish]

"Rapture" gave a valid, if temporary reason. I think that Bajor did join soon after the Dominion war ended, though.

 

[Tenacity]

but the Federation already seems to let its worlds have a lot of that, very few actual requirements or limitations

That says you don't lose anything, but you already had that. What do you gain?

From being on this board for a while, some fans said that the Federation becomes the governing body above your government, and not just that but also dictates changes in your culture and society, you conform. Your military becomes the Federations military; your starships are incorporated into starfleet.

Anything illegal in the Federation is now illegal on your worlds. Self-determination is gone.

Some fans suggest that religion is suppressed, because of course.

The TOS Federation seemed much better, the Federation was the weaker of the pairing. But was that still the case with TNG and onward?

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

The Illyrians and the Coppelians would have good reasons.

 

[Oddish]

Some fans suggest that religion is suppressed, because of course.

There's no evidence of that.

 

[korblborp]

suppression of religion? that seems the least likely. while most human characters aren't particulary religious, a lot of the nonhuman ones are, even vulcans (though i don't think they would like it if you said so).
many member worlds also continue to operate their own space fleets independent of Starfleet.
the Federation directly imposing it's own laws and culture on member worlds internal governance would be violating the Prime Directive, and some member worlds are questionable in how they even fit into the Fedration's values and others keep a lot of what would seem like it ought to be basic information really close to their vests, which would also seem to preclude such intervention...

 

[Oddish]

Also, there was never any issue with religion when Bajor was petitioning for Federation membership. The only issue Starfleet seemed to have concerning the Bajoran religion was that one of their own was a major figure in it.

 

[Shawnster]

The Federation'enemies become your enemies once you join the Federation. During the TOS era one could not be a Federation member and maintain alliances with the Klingons or Romulans, for example.

 

[The Wormhole]

There is no suppression of religion in the Federation. The Enterprise had its own chapel in TOS. Christianity was still being practiced as of DS9 S7, a Hindu holiday was being observed on the Enterprise in TNG and Native Americans still practice their spiritual beliefs. And that's before we factor in all the various alien religions seen even amongst Federation members. Now it's true Roddenberry felt religion would have no place in his perfect future, but that's never been reflected with the onscreen canonical material in the franchise. Ever. Trek's future, as presented on screen is not secular at all.

 

[Nyotarules]

One good reason , too many humans

 

[Shawnster]

Is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond? Join the Federation and become the small fish. Either stay independent or join a much smaller union and become the big fish.

 

[Turtletrekker]

The Federation isn't perfect, despite the propaganda. There could be any number of good reasons why a society or a colony would not want to join up with the monolithic Federation. As for suppression of religion, there was mention of a Christmas party in TOS, a mention of the Hindu celebration of lights in TNG, and Kassidy Yates told Sisko that her mother would prefer that they'd be married by a minister rather than a Admiral in DS9, so I'm not seeing it.

 

[The Wormhole]

Maybe 31st century pre-Burn Federation, given it was becoming so huge it couldn't properly govern itself and might well have collapsed within a century even if there hadn't been a massive cataclysm causing the destruction of so many starships at the same instant. And if you believe the butterfly guys from Disco S4, the Federation of that time period was bullying others to join.

 

[Oddish]

As our current situation reminds, governments evolve... and sometimes not in a good way. Even by the 25th century, we could see the Federation's presumed utopia showing cracks.

 

[Turtletrekker]

As our current situation reminds, governments evolve... and sometimes not in a good way. Even by the 25th century, we could see the Federation's presumed utopia showing cracks.

Let's face it. The last 35 years of the 24th century were a real bitch compared to the 70 odd years of relative peace between Star Trek 6 and the coming of the Borg. Soon followed by the Dominion War, the Texas class, the Living Construct, Utopia Planitia, and finally the fleet formation protocol, all in rather rapid succession in historical terms. Who can blame them for losing touch with her ideals just a little bit? The story is about bringing the Federation back to them.

 

[Turtletrekker]

The Federation isn't perfect, despite the propaganda. There could be any number of good reasons why a society or a colony would not want to join up with the monolithic Federation. As for suppression of religion, there was mention of a Christmas party in TOS, a mention of the Hindu celebration of lights in TNG, and Kassidy Yates told Sisko that her mother would prefer that they'd be married by a minister rather than a Admiral in DS9, so I'm not seeing it.

Quoting myself to add that Ro was allowed to wear her Bajoran earring and that we saw a recurring background crew member on Lower Decks, a woman wearing a hijab.

 

[at Quark's]

Let's face it. The last 35 years of the 24th century were a real bitch compared to the 70 odd years of relative peace between Star Trek 6 and the coming of the Borg, The Dominion War, the Texas class, the Living Construct, Utopia Planetia, and finally the fleet formation protocol, all in rather rapid succession in historical terms. Who can blame them for losing touch with her ideals just a little bit? The story is about bringing the Federation back to them.

Yeah. The average Federation citizen probably would prefer to live in an era in which no Star Trek series has been set.

 

[The Wormhole]

we saw a recurring background crew member on Lower Decks, a woman wearing a hijab.

And also a man wearing a turban.

 

[Shawnster]

Quoting myself to add that Ro was allowed to wear her Bajoran earring...

Only at the end of the episode after she proved herself. Which was a blatant double standard since Worf wore his sash since TNG S01E01.

Sorry. Off topic. The discrimination was not religious

 

[Oddish]

That seemed like "world under construction" inconsistency. Like the fact that so few people seemed to know that Bajoran names feature family name first, individual name second. Even though the practice was near universal, and there are human cultures that do the same.