Empires of Star Trek?

[James Wright]

We all know that the Federation has many varied races, but what about the empires that border the Federation? In their conquest of other worlds did they kill off or remove the indigenous people to other less habitable locations on their home planets?

JDW

 

[sbk1234]

As I recall, we really haven't seen too many planets in the Klingon or Romulan empires. I always assumed they limited the rights of those they subjugated, including restricting thier travel rights off-world. This would be why they've never shown other races on their ships. It would have been interesting to have seen how the conquered races would have interacted with the dominant ones.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Ages ago, in one of the Best of Trek books, someone suggested that it would be better solve the Great Ridge Problem if Klingon, like Soviet (rather than Russian) were a political affiliation rather than a race. Pity we never got that or something like that with an enemy--the closest we came was the Dominion.

 

[sbk1234]

^^^Also, similar to Xindi.

 

[DanTheGrey]

I just started reading the I.K.S. Gorkon books and they're subjugating a planet for the empire. I get the impression in those empires, the dominant race is on top, and the others are at best indentured servants on other planets, if not outright slaves. Probably they don't get to leave their worlds, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were population control methods in place to keep those "member" races in check and keep them from getting to the point where they would rebel.

 

[Sci]

JDW said:
We all know that the Federation has many varied races, but what about the empires that border the Federation? In their conquest of other worlds did they kill off or remove the indigenous people to other less habitable locations on their home planets?

Probably. Between TNG's "The Mind's Eye," NEM, and Bajor and the Cardassians, we know that three of the major empires that border the Federation -- the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, and the Cardassian Union -- have all practised slavery or de facto slavery at some point. Given how empires tend to behave in real life, I wouldn't be surprised if various acts of mass murder and genocide are also perpetuated.

 

[Vulcanian]

They take control of their planet and have limited rights.

 

[votd]

It then makes you wonder why the Federation is so pally with the Klingons when they're supposed to be against conquest and slavery.

 

[Timo]

Are they? Apparently, Federation traders tacitly approved of the slavery in "Cloud Minders" until Kirk decided to visit and got into trouble. Our TNG era heroes haven't faced the issue of slavery too often, and certainly haven't taken active steps to end such practice where they meet it.

And it's not as if the Feds even know all that much about the Klingons as TNG opens. In the second season, they are still fearsome and alien; in the fifth season, we learn they used to raid UFP planets and installations until just a few years before TNG, while formally in alliance. The Feds at that point are still far, far away from being able to tell their allies how to behave.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

The only race shown under Romulan subjegation (besides so forgotten Klingon POWS and their offspring) are the Remans. Maybe there's some Estrusculans and Gaullians under their rule, too.

Whose to say by TNG's time that the Klingons still rule over any non-Klingons? Maybe during the peace process they gave up all occupied worlds.

 

[Timo]

Not all that likely, considering the rebellion at Krios in "The Mind's Eye"...

And anyway, they decidedly still murder each other as a hobby. So do Vulcans for that matter. If the more uptight ones among the Feds frown on the practice, they either show discretion, or then don't hold sufficient power to do anything about it.

The only "moral" balking we've ever heard the Feds engage in would seem to be opposition of the caste society of Bajor. And even that might have its roots in the practicalities of setting up a new local government, rather than in freeing the oppressed pariahs.

Timo Saloniemi