Federation political parties

[TerraUnam]

Yet I think it's pretty likely that after 200 years, the parties of Andoria (attested in fiction) have made contacts/alliances with say Earth parties or Tellarite parties, and Betazoid parties while we're at it.

Parties perform the useful function of focusing debate into a few sides and giving it voice. There's a lot of grunt work that goes on behind the scenes before a leader puts their party behind something.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

The Federation has a two-party system consisting of the Tastycrats and the Fingerlicans.

 

[Rush Limborg]

Well, it depends on what the politcal issues are.

For example, the Federalists and the D-Rs were formed (among other reasons) over whether to trade with Britain or France; whether a national bank was necessary, and so on.

The Republicans were formed over the issue of slavery.

And so on.


In Trek's case, I'd say the UFP would have parties formed over the issue of closer ties with the Allies (Pagro, of course, being a bit of an isolationist, would probably form a party over breaking ties with the powers who in his mind violate rights); or matters of trade (In Articles, I recall there was a controversy over trade with rogue dictators).

Almost certainly, there would be divisions over defense policy (spending resources for shields grids on the Typhon Pact border, Starfleet buildups, etc.), economics (somehow, I'd think there'd be those who'd want to go back to a money-backed currency system, possibly with latinum as its base)--and of course, the limits of government intervention in citizen's lives.

Much like today--only on a much vaster scale.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

I think unofficial factions are far more likely and easy to be formed than official political parties, at least in regards to Federation-wide policy.

In the A Time to... series, the one thing that stood out for me is that, especially in the post-Dominion War/pre-Destiny Federation, most Federation Councillors are going to be looking out for their constituent planet. For example, (and I apologize if I spoil anything), the issue arises of Federation aid to a planet on the Federation-Klingon border that had a Saddam Hussein-like dictator with advanced weapons supplied to him secretly by the Federation during the War, and who aggressively attempted to annex a Klingon colony world. Long story short (cutting out the details and skipping the facts that are unimportant to my example), the Andorian, Tellarite, and Betazoid Councillors arrive at the Federation President's office to inform him that they're going to introduce a bill cutting off aid to this planet and instead redirecting efforts to Betazed (at least, that's their public argument). The Federation President then mentions the deteriorating humanitarian conditions on the former enemy planet, and that he was sure he wouldn't see anything in the bill dealing with Councillor's pet issues like upgrades to planetary transporter networks and so forth, and basically says that he'll veto that bill.

Another example is, in Articles of the Federation, when the same Tellarite and Betazoid Councillors, among other members of an ad-hoc coalition, threaten to vote to cut off aid to Cardassia for similar reasons, although in that case the Tellarite Councillor was doing it to get back at the President and other members of the Council for outvoting him on a nomination to the Federation Security Council. There the President's staff manage to negotiate and convince the politicians to not do that because of noble, humanitarian reasons and the like.

I'm probably not doing a good enough job with my examples, but I wanted to use them to show how and why temporary coalitions would be more likely to arise. Another example, and I forget which novel, says that the Councillor from Alpha Centauri went along with the majority almost all the time, provided it didn't directly affect or involve Alpha Centauri.

(Rush, the controversy you're referring to is in regards to the Federation trading with the planet Aligar, where 90% of the population is used in slave labor to mine for the material kellinite. The controversy was that the President basically questioned their patriotism and so forth, and thereby drastically slowed down consideration of the President's appointments or policies. I thought it was an interesting situation, when compared to real life politics. Another thing I liked was Bacco's "Travelgate" )

 

[Rush Limborg]

(Rush, the controversy you're referring to is in regards to the Federation trading with the planet Aligar, where 90% of the population is used in slave labor to mine for the material kellinite. The controversy was that the President basically questioned their patriotism and so forth, and thereby drastically slowed down consideration of the President's appointments or policies. I thought it was an interesting situation, when compared to real life politics. Another thing I liked was Bacco's "Travelgate" )

Yup. I find it amusing that the Councilmen (Councilors?) were whining that Bacco was "doubting their patriotism". Hmm...sounds kinda familiar....

 

[Dancing Doctor]

(Rush, the controversy you're referring to is in regards to the Federation trading with the planet Aligar, where 90% of the population is used in slave labor to mine for the material kellinite. The controversy was that the President basically questioned their patriotism and so forth, and thereby drastically slowed down consideration of the President's appointments or policies. I thought it was an interesting situation, when compared to real life politics. Another thing I liked was Bacco's "Travelgate" )

Yup. I find it amusing that the Councilmen (Councilors?) were whining that Bacco was "doubting their patriotism". Hmm...sounds kinda familiar....

When I read that, I agreed with Bacco. Even if you take the extenuating circumstances of the war, it had been over for 5 years. Plenty of time to end trade with this planet.

This also brings up the question of the condition of servants and slaves in the Klingon and Romulan Empires, though, too.

 

[T'Girl]

(Rush, the controversy you're referring to is in regards to the Federation trading with the planet Aligar, where 90% of the population is used in slave labor to mine for the material kellinite. The controversy was that the President basically questioned their patriotism and so forth, and thereby drastically slowed down consideration of the President's appointments or policies. I thought it was an interesting situation, when compared to real life politics. Another thing I liked was Bacco's "Travelgate" )

Yup. I find it amusing that the Councilmen (Councilors?) were whining that Bacco was "doubting their patriotism". Hmm...sounds kinda familiar....

Patriotism: love of and devotion for one's ... Federation? Would have been interesting if these Council-beings had thrown it back in the President's face, that in all honesty they were not patriots. I've always saw the Federation as more of a supranational or a transnational organization, rather than being a single big "nation."

I truly believe that worlds join the Federation for their own best interests and their own well being. Protection, trade, community. But their worlds or their collections of worlds remain their "nation." In his heart of hearts James Kirk wasn't from the Federaion, he was from Earth. Mr. Spock wasn't a Federationer (Federalies?), he was a Vulcan. Certainly this is how their referred to themselves. The only person in all of Star Trek who in their own heads thought of themselves as primarily a Federation citizen was probably Picard.

When I'm outside my country and someone asks me where I'm from (common ice breaker) I tell them I'm a American, not from Washington state, King county or Seattle. I'll usually mention Seattle second. It not just a case of Kirk being as proud of Earth as I am of America, it is his nation. True Kirk, in a official capacity, would declare "We're for the Federation," but how many time did he say "I'm from ..."

The Council-beings straight forward statement might have been,
"Yes we're patriotic President Bacco, just not to you!"