If the Federation had peacefully joined the Dominion, how many things would have changed?

[Unimatrix Q]

Maybe with the help of some changeling infiltrators.

"The Search" hinted at this possibility.

What would have happened with Starfleet? And how much would life on Earth and other Federation planets have changed?

Would the Federation have kept its post scarcity economy and what would have happened with replicator technology and holodecks?

 

[The Emissary]

Depends on when in the timeline you're talking - before or after the alliance with the Cardassians? I think Dukat would have pushed for a brutal occupation of Federation worlds.

Before the Cardassian Union's alliance with the Dominion? Weirdly enough - I think life would not change that much. The aliens subject to the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant implied that as long as you paid your dues (whatever form that took) - the Dominion would largely leave you alone. It would be when you don't pay that they send in the Jem'Hadar.

As for Starfleet? Their exploration division would probably be used more as a scouting party for potential worlds to be conquered than to seek out new life and explore new worlds ...

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

I mean, this was never a realistic option, being absorbed into a totalitarian organization from another part of the galaxy. A few changelings wouldn't have changed humanity's instincts for self-determination.

BUT for the sake of a hypothetical, the Federation would've ceased to exist as an organizational entity. The Dominion wouldn't have tolerated an alliance within another alliance. Starfleet would either be mothballed or turned over to the Jem'Hadar/Vorta, and the only remaining ships would be for basic commerce. Just like in the Gamma Quadrant. I don't remember a single warship in the GQ that wasn't Dominion but was a member of the Dominion. (Maybe somebody else could think of one/some.) Nor did any non-Jem'Hadar or non-Vorta serve on Dominion ships.

And if there was any rebellion, Weyoon and the female changeling made it clear that Earth would've been wiped out. So there's that. For all the disdain the changelings had for solids, I'm surprised they didn't annihilate a lot more species (that we know of, of course).

 

[Timo]

I gather that with constantly expanding territory, the Dominion would also be constantly provided with more reasons to favor Solid extinction over Solid enslavement. Rebellions, atrocities or just plain abhorrent Solid weirdness would increase in direct proportion to the territory conquered.

But a foothold in Alpha would be good for both these endeavors. So the former Federation might at first get a velvet gloves on treatment, so that it could serve as a base from which to conquer or annihilate the other half of the galaxy. The Final Solution might touch this foothold the last...

It's rather frightening that the Dominion apparently wouldn't be diluted in its expansion to two sides of the galaxy. The side that fought the Alphans was completely cut off from home space and still came close to winning. So, with the UFP becoming part of the Dominion, the Alpha half of the galactic conquest could proceed independently of the Gamma half, with the troops in Alpha multiplying their strength just as self-sufficiently as during the war, rather than draining Gamma resources. Here, the "rocks to replicators" technomages of the Federation would be of further assistance, and perhaps tolerated for their skills for longer than the average subject culture.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Charles Phipps]

The Changelings said their first plan was to eradicate humanity because they'd never submit.

It was kind of a hilarious rebuttal to the idiot savant super-geniuses who stated that they should surrender to the Dominion because humanity would eventually lead a revolt.

Mind you, this seems to have been Plan B# with the original plan being taking over Starfleet via infiltrators and turning over the Wormhole. It's possible that the Dominion might have left things alone for awhile as they didn't have control over the Gamma Quadrant to the Wormhole until Starfleet started colonizing there.

But basically, I think the Dominion would eventually have squeezed everyone dry. The Cardassians were loyal allies and the Dominion threw them under the bus for the Breen. They'd have done the same for the Breen.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The Dominion would have dismantled all the militaries in the Federation, and at the first few planets that rebelled, they'd destroy cities. The most technological advanced might get some variation of the Quickening virus. And it'd turn into something like the GQ where everyone is afraid to step out of line, nobody has military technology and interstellar traders would be the one ones with freedoms.

 

[kkt]

I think the Dominion might have kept the Federation around. They wouldn't want to have a Vorta and perhaps Changling on every minor world, and if the Federation would keep governing them they'd only need to watch Federation Headquarters and the major worlds.

About Starfleet, expect it to be reduced to a police force, with no ships strong enough to challenge the Jem Hadar.

 

[Damian]

I think it would have been a brutal occupation. Yes, there were worlds in the Dominion of the Gamma Quadrant that had some automony in the sense as long as they towed the line and paid their dues they were left alone. But the Federation wasn't a world--it was a vast coalition--and a democracy--something the Founders would never tolerate.

The Cardassians were already an empire and they eventually were brutally treated by the Dominion. I have no reason to believe they would have used kid gloves with the Federation.

Starfleet would have been mothballed and any useful technology taken by the Dominion. They they would have created as many Vorta and Jem'Hadar as they needed to occupy as many worlds as they could. And the slightest provocation would encourage the Dominion to simply wipe out that planet's population. They wouldn't need to do that to the entire Federation--eventually other planets would hear of it and resistance would eventually fall apart. The Founders did not care about 'solids'. They were clear about that. They were ready to eradicate the entire Cardassian population. It didn't even phase Weyoun (at least from an ethics standpoint). He was only concerned that they might not have the resources to carry it out. He never questioned the validity of the order though. So there'd be nothing to stop the Founders from taking such action.

It was kind of a hilarious rebuttal to the idiot savant super-geniuses who stated that they should surrender to the Dominion because humanity would eventually lead a revolt.

Yeah, I agree. I can maybe understand the so called 'geniuses' since they never personally encountered the Dominion. They may have thought the Dominion was like any other conquering power and would hesitate to actually eradicate an entire planet. But Dr Bashir should have realized what the Dominion was capable of.

Humanity would never be given a chance to lead a revolt. They would be eliminate long before that ever happened.

The only hope anyone would have is maybe, some day in the far future, with the Dominion being stretched too thin, perhaps enough species would be able to organize a resistance and overthrow the Dominion. I guess that's what the 'geniuses' were getting at. But it would be brutal.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

If the Federation joined peacefully without resistance there is some reason to think they would disarm them and only brutally kill those who rebelled or resisted. Just like on Bajor, they needed to have the appearance of keeping their word, so they’d have credibility with their next opponent. They’d be subtle about it at first, shake hands with a friendly face and the freedoms would slowly start to disappear until they were gone.

Remember the Founders are in no rush. They don’t care if they take over the AQ in two years or two hundred years.

The planet of the blue fellow from Allegiance wouldn’t be harmed at all. Cause all they’d have to do to get total surrender is show up in a big ship and say “Hi, we’re in charge now”.

 

[Tenacity]

Vulcans would have been genetically re-engineered into inhuman green blooded jack rabbits.

 

[Charles Phipps]

If the Federation joined peacefully without resistance there is some reason to think they would disarm them and only brutally kill those who rebelled or resisted.

That's the SOP of the Dominion, though. The Dominion doesn't leave any weapons in the hands of solids.

If things go utterly smoothly, they'll protect you completely with an invincible army of Jem'hadar and replace all your government with administration by the Vorta.

But it's like the Galactic Empire leaving you your fleets. No, you're not going to have anything that would allow you to rebel.

 

[Beckerjr]

I don't see the Federation joining the Dominion turning out well at all.

To use a famous line by a character from another IP. "I've altered the deal...pray I don't alter it further..."

 

[Unimatrix Q]

Depends on when in the timeline you're talking - before or after the alliance with the Cardassians? I think Dukat would have pushed for a brutal occupation of Federation worlds.

Before the Cardassian Union's alliance with the Dominion? Weirdly enough - I think life would not change that much. The aliens subject to the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant implied that as long as you paid your dues (whatever form that took) - the Dominion would largely leave you alone. It would be when you don't pay that they send in the Jem'Hadar.

As for Starfleet? Their exploration division would probably be used more as a scouting party for potential worlds to be conquered than to seek out new life and explore new worlds ...

So in this scenario, would the non scarcity economy stay as it was, as the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant seemed to have been more capitalistic?

Which can be seen by the importance of traders like the Karemma, who apparently didn't even have to worry about the destruction of their homeworld after talking with starfleet about selling Dominion weaponry to them...

What about replicators? Would the use of them stay the way it was, or if the Federation was able to keep the tech, would it have been monetarized?

 

[Farscape One]

I don't think the Changelings would kill every species, despite the mistrust and hatred.

Look at how they sent 100 infant Changelings out in space. They still wanted to explore, but they didn't want to leave the Great Link. It's like in our era, people who love to see the world, but would rather do it online.

They were not above committing genocide. That's very clear in the show, with several examples. But they did that as a final step. They didn't go right to that solution.

In a way, the Link is almost a drug addiction. Sort of fitting that they command a species who are genetically created to be addicted to a drug.

 

[at Quark's]

How you're treated by the Dominion seems to depend upon simple expected cost-expected benefit considerations. If your expected cost outweighs your expected benefit, or if you fail to deliver on your expected benefit, you're disposed of. This seems to go both for individuals (Broca, Weyoun 6, Vorta Doctors) and entire species. Initially the Cardies got treated relatively well. Their treatment got worse after "failing" to win the AQ war, and after "failing" the second time (the rebelllion) they were to be disposed of. The Karemma on the other hand seem to survive just fine but probably nothing more was expected of them than they delivered, by being a trading race.

So, even if Earth would have submitted voluntarily before any hostilities, it would have been in trouble. Either the Dominion would have analysed the potential for rebellion as being too high, or they might have expected so much from this versatile race (rapid technological progress, fabled engineers, diplomatic skills on a par with the Vorta, fierce and determined fighters if the need arises) that sooner or later Earth would fail to deliver on those expectations. Or perhaps even particularly more so because of the combination of those two traits.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

So what would life on the planets of the Federation be like if the UFP voluntary joined the Dominion and there wasn't a rebellion.

What are the best and worst case scenarios?

 

[Beckerjr]

Think France in WWII.

 

[The Emissary]

So in this scenario, would the non scarcity economy stay as it was, as the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant seemed to have been more capitalistic?

Which can be seen by the importance of traders like the Karemma, who apparently didn't even have to worry about the destruction of their homeworld after talking with starfleet about selling Dominion weaponry to them...

What about replicators? Would the use of them stay the way it was, or if the Federation was able to keep the tech, would it have been monetarized?

I think their economy would stay largely the same. We don't really know what the "dues" are that the client/occupied states of the Dominion really pay. I can't imagine Founders wanting gold or latinum or anything of that nature. They'd probably want resources that would power their ships or Federation engineers/scientists that can turn "rocks into replicators". They'd probably be more interested in all the crazy inventions the Federation has toyed with - Genesis, transwarp, reigniting stars, augment genetic engineering, etc. Hell - with all the insane advancements made by Humans and Vulcans - I wouldn't be surprised if they were given a special/favored status among the Dominion. That's a good way of suppressing possible rebellions - feeding the illusion that life is normal.

Remember how interested Weyoun was in that "immortality" machine? It would be like that times ten.

I could maybe see Vorta administrators interested in transforming the economy, but again - it seems like it would be so petty to the Great Link.

So what would life on the planets of the Federation be like if the UFP voluntary joined the Dominion and there wasn't a rebellion.

What are the best and worst case scenarios?

Best case - life stays the same. The average Federation citizen never even sees a Founder and thinks of them as a myth. They focus on science and engineering, but to the benefit of the Dominion. The Jem'Hadar now focus on dangerous alien species such as the Borg and Mankind never has to worry about the deeper mysteries of the universe filled with "with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross."

Worst case - No rebellion? Maybe Odo returns to the Great Link and his views on solids coupled with the proof of the solids in the Federation being kind throw the Great Link's extreme philosophy of self-defense into disarray? This prompts a civil war and the Federation gets drawn into it leading to the deaths of trillions?

Or maybe the Vorta/Jem'Hadar are inspired by Humans that preach freedom from being ruled by others and this prompts a civil war that drags the Federation in? DS9 had a few instances of rogue Vorta/Jem'Hadar realizing that maybe they don't need their shape-shifting gods? I think the most dangerous weapon during "peace time" for those species is ideas. Something that is an abundance within the UFP.

 

[Timo]

Think France in WWII.

A key source for preexisting indigenous high quality war materiel?

A key producer of further materiel, partially with imported slave labor?

An unreliable source for manpower, except when it comes to slave labor?

A strategic foothold for further operations?

A playground for unchained sadists and lunatics, but for historical, political and propagandist reasons not the worst of the lot, for whatever worth that may be?

Another target of organized purges and pogroms in keeping with the political agenda of the conqueror?

A conquest where local resistance is a minor issue and those who resist are such a diverse lot that the only real threat comes from potential cooperation with an outside threat force?

Just about the only conquest the conqueror had any sort of preexisting coherent exploitation plans for?

A hoped-for future ally or productive component of unified future realm, in a utopist scenario for which there is no roadmap?

I'd check all of the above with a thick felt pen. Although I'm not sure which Trek feature we could mark as the "outside threat force" akin to Britain. The Klingons?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[arch101]

You don’t “peacefully join” something like The Dominion. You yield your rights and freedoms to them and allow a small homogeneous, xenophobic group in a distant capital to decide how you live.