Okay, let's do a rewind and try this.
In what third season episodes is the Federation not the Enterprise's controlling authority?
The Enterprise is only ever referred to as a United Earth ship in episodes produced before "Arena" introduced the Federation.
The problem with trying to shoe-horn in references to the 1701 being a United Earth ship is that it contradicts both the vast preponderance of evidence from later TOS, the TOS films, TNG, DS9, the TNG films, and VOY; and that it violates the writers' clear artistic intent. They may not have invented the word "retcon" back then, but it was clearly their intention that we ignore references to the Enterprise being a United Earth vessel and assume it's a Federation vessel -- the same way it was their clear intent that we ignore the "James R. Kirk" tombstone in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and assume that Kirk's middle initial has always been "T;" or that we were supposed to ignore the reference to the "time barrier" having recently been broken in "The Cage" and assume that warp drive had existed since the 21st Century and that starships didn't normally engage in time travel.
Well, let me put it this way: You could try to justify those early lines without contradicting later episodes by assuming that the Enterprise is a Federation vessel that had been "contracted out" to the United Earth Space Probe Agency for the duration of a given mission; Kirk, being loathe to give too much information to potential adversaries, might refer to the Enterprise as working for the "UESPA client" rather than the Federation, for the sake of a certain amount of disinformation. But that's as far as you can push it without contradicting most of the later canon. It's far simpler just to mentally substitute "Federation" when you hear "Earth" in those early episodes.
Again, the problem is that the preponderance of evidence indicates the exact opposite: That the Enterprise is a Federation starship. You might try to justify those early "United Earth" references by assuming the Federation loaned it to United Earth, but there's just no way to justify the idea that it's actually a United Earth ship in light of everything that came after "Arena" was written.
An idea later contradicted by numerous episodes and films that gave the Federation all of the characteristics of a sovereign state.
The problem with this is that Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home -- not VI -- established explicitly that the Enterprise was Federation property -- when it was not undergoing any mission whatsoever. It was sitting in Spacedock waiting to be retired when Kirk hijacked it. So it can't have achieved a temporary status of "Federation starship" as a result of doing a "Federation mission" -- it wasn't on any mission whatsoever. By your logic, it should have been called a United Earth ship -- but it was not. It was Federation property.
But the point is not to accommodate a few, scattered lines from early TOS episodes against the overwhelming majority of references from TNG, DS9, VOY, and even TOS itself. The point is "proving" that the Federation works in a very specific political landscape, one that favours "states' rights", private property, money exchange, capitalistic ventures, aggressive foreign policy, and individualism over community. The argument presented is purely political in purpose, not about historicity or "canonicity". It's partisan apologia dressed in science-fiction claptraps. It's turning Star Trek into Starship Troopers.
We can start with Spectre Of The Gun, where the Federation is specifically referred to as a "Alliance."
The Federation was introduce in A Taste of Armageddon, Arena introduced us to the "Earth observation outpost on Cestus Three." A Taste of Armageddon established that a half century after the Federation came into existence, the USS Valiant's mission was a Earth expedition.
Wouldn't it be even simpler still to substitute "Starfleet" for "Federation," during Kirk's court scene in TVH, then you're only doing it twice in a single scene. See how much easier that would be.
The twentieth century pilot, Captain Christopher, was a potential adversary?
Yet in over seven hundred hours of Star Trek, somehow the Federation is never once directly referred to as a "sovereign state." But on one occasion it is directly called an alliance.
Yes they do.
The vast majority of episodes do not bring it up Federation governance, one way or the other. Most episodes speak of the Federation as a place, or an ideal. When Janeway speaks of "getting back to the Federation," do you somehow think she is referring to a government? She talking about a place. Many of the times Picard speaks of the Federation, it's obvious he's means a collection of concepts and ideals. Sisko and other fought during the Dominion War to protect the Federation as a "container." It held their families and home worlds.
I was actual referring to a different movie there, in a hypothetical situation.
Sci, do you realize just how few references you hang your Federation is a sovereign state hypothesis on? One reference in TVH, one in Homefront and a small number of others spread thinly through the various series.
I was going through season one of Next Generation recently, let's see how often the United Federation of Planets is specifically spoken of as a "sovereign state."
And the problem with that is that there are multiple other references that establish that what you are referring to isn't the whole story. You have presented a single statement by a single character, but there are other statements by other characters.
"states' rights" ... Vulcans certainly seem to be running their own show.
And you'll find as many (actually, way more) examples of the Federation doing exactly the opposite, because it was never written in a very consistent manner. But I don't see you admitting it here. Political agenda trumps all.
So anyone who disagree with your libertarian reading of the Federation is a fascist? Aw, aren't you cute with the smiles and the veiled insults?It's turning Star Trek into Starship Troopers ... I don't know, you read some threads and posts here that argue a pro-fascism Federation, especially in the 24th century. But I feel the show just doesn't back this position up on close examination.
But Kirk never seem to hedge before (or after) in identifying himself, his ship and his "point of origin."
Where are you getting this? You're the one iguana tonante who brought up Starship Troopers, you referred to Star Trek turning into Starship Troopers. I take it that you were referring to the movie (and not the novel). Many people (including myself) feel that the government depicted in that movie was a fascist one.
Because the show was never about the Federation's governace, the bits and pieces we have don't always line up, but they are all canon, they can be assembled into some kind of whole. Like a jigsaw puzzle.
You really think so?
Perhaps, but given what happened at Port Joe Smith, I can see WHY humans might have started it.
How can the Federation be a mere alliance, a mere container if one of its most important executive agencies, Starfleet, features a military hierarchy and rules that hold for everybody like the Prime Directive?We can start with Spectre Of The Gun, where the Federation is specifically referred to as a "Alliance."
Then there is The Paradise Syndrome, Spock's Brain, The Empath, For The World Is Hollow, Plato's Stepchildren, That Which Survives, All Our Yesterdays and Turnabout Intruder.
In these episodes either there is no authority given, or the only authority is "Starfleet." And incidentally, it's never called the Federation Starfleet.
The Federation was introduce in A Taste of Armageddon, Arena introduced us to the "Earth observation outpost on Cestus Three." A Taste of Armageddon established that a half century after the Federation came into existence, the USS Valiant's mission was a Earth expedition.
And in the last episode of the second season, Kirk said the Enterprise was from Earth, he did not say "... planets actually, the Federation."
Wouldn't it be even simpler still to substitute "Starfleet" for "Federation," during Kirk's court scene in TVH, then you're only doing it twice in a single scene. See how much easier that would be.
Kirk stole and destroyed Starfleet property ... better.
Out-universe, there is the fact that the writers have occasionally confused/combined the Federation and Starfleet into one whole. "The Federation is a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada," is one example.
The twentieth century pilot, Captain Christopher, was a potential adversary?
Yet in over seven hundred hours of Star Trek, somehow the Federation is never once directly referred to as a "sovereign state." But on one occasion it is directly called an alliance.
Yes they do.
The vast majority of episodes do not bring it up Federation governance, one way or the other. Most episodes speak of the Federation as a place, or an ideal. When Janeway speaks of "getting back to the Federation," do you somehow think she is referring to a government? She talking about a place. Many of the times Picard speaks of the Federation, it's obvious he's means a collection of concepts and ideals. Sisko and other fought during the Dominion War to protect the Federation as a "container." It held their families and home worlds.
I was actual referring to a different movie there, in a hypothetical situation.
Sci, do you realize just how few references you hang your Federation is a sovereign state hypothesis on? One reference in TVH, one in Homefront and a small number of others spread thinly through the various series.
I was going through season one of Next Generation recently, let's see how often the United Federation of Planets is specifically spoken of as a "sovereign state."
In Encounter At Farpoint, Starfleet was the only authority mention. When Q told the Captain of the Flagship of the Federation to go home, it was very obvious Q meant back to Earth, and not "back to the Federation."
Q: Thou art directed to return to thine own solar system immediately.
Picard: Our only other option is to tuck tail between our legs and return to Earth as they demand.
Picard receives his orders and directions from Starfleet. In Code of Honour medicine is require on "Federation planet Styris Four." But Captain Picard refers to his ship as the Starfleet vessel Enterprise.
The Last Outpost, Picard demands the Ferengi to return the stolen energy converter "in the name of the United Federation of Planets," but the converter is never referred to as Federation property, nor Gamma Tauri Four as a Federation planet. They could have been chasing it down out of treaty obligations, like in Haven when they intercepted the plague ship.
Hide & Q has a Federation colony, but episodes before and after have Earth colonies. The Enterprise in Justice had just set up a Earth colony, Earth had been a member of the Federation for two centuries at this point, if the Federation in a sovereign federal state, shouldn't all the colonies be "Federation" colonies. Strnad (in Haven) wasn't a Federation colony of Humans, it was a "Earth" colony.
Angel One does have a Federation freighter, which is named for a Norse god, and has a Human captain. Again, Starfleet is the Enterprise's spoken of authority, and it is Starfleet that wishes Angel One to one day become part of the Federation.
Too Short A Season has a Federation Ambassador (Hawkins). But we've seen where member world's ambassadors are occasionally employed as Federation ambassadors (Sarek).
Home Soil, the Enterprise is asked by the Federation to visit a group of terraformers. The Federation would not have to be a sovereign state to have a Terraform Command, but could instead be a interstellar organization. The Federation did determine the lifelessness of the planet.
Heart Of Glory mentions a alliance, presumably with the Federation, but not by name.
Symbiosis, Picard speaks of the rules of the United Federation of Planets and the Prime Directive. But then goes on to say "when mankind interferes," not when the Federation interferes.
Conspiracy, out of the over 150 species in the Federation, when three Starfleet admirals are shown on Earth, two are human.
The Neutral Zone does refer to two Federation outposts and more than one Federation starbase. However, there are alliances that do have common miltary bases, like the NATO bases located in Afghanistan, there are many NATO outposts in that country as well. Picard also conjectures that the Romulans want to test themselves against a Federation starship
So while there are references to a Federation, the United Federation of Planets as a authority body is almost surprisingly rarely mentioned. And is not once specifically referred to as a sovereign state.
Going to do season two next.
And the problem with that is that there are multiple other references that establish that what you are referring to isn't the whole story. You have presented a single statement by a single character, but there are other statements by other characters.
Mendez: But it does name the only Earth ship that ever visited the planet.
Kirk: The Enterprise, commanded by Captain Christopher Pike.
Not a Federation ship.
"states' rights" ... Vulcans certainly seem to be running their own show.
private property ... Captains Picard and Sisko both had family members with private property.
money exchange ... Jake Sisko ran a business venture with Nog that netted them five strips of Lathuim.
capitalistic ventures ... The Solion wave's inventor (iirc) was delevoping it as a commercial prduct.
aggressive foreign policy ... The Federation appears expansionistic.
individualism over community ... This one is a tougher, a clear example doesn't immediately come to mind.
It's turning Star Trek into Starship Troopers ... I don't know, you read some threads and posts here that argue a pro-fascism Federation, especially in the 24th century. But I feel the show just doesn't back this position up on close examination.
It doesn't exactly hold for everyone, even if it is supposed to. It not clear if it applies to civilians at all (the guys from that lifeboat that landed on Angel One), or even to civilians on Federation missions ( John Gill, Worf's brother). From the episode Pen Pals, a group of Starfleet officers disagree as to exactly what the Prime Directive means.
The closest thing today to the "Prime Directive" would likely be a UN Security Council Resolution, under Article 25 of the UN Charter, UN member states are bound to carry out decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter. Article 25, chapter 7, resolutions are considered binding (while chapter 6 are voluntary). The United Nations is an international organization, not a sovereign state.
The Federation is aggressively expansionistic, and has fought multiple territorial wars to maintain it's size, Starfleet fought two boarder wars with the Tzenkethi. It was the Federation's attempt to expand and colonize beyond it's established borders that brought them into conflict with the Cardassians (also expansionistic), and created the Maquis.
