The Federation becoming so human-centric

[gantoris]

How did humans become the dominant culture in the Federation despite being the least technologically advanced of the founding four?

I never understood why Starfleet vessels were based on human technology in the later years. Why didn't they just develop Vulcan or Andorian ships at that point as they both were significantly ahead technology-wise?

Also we don't see Andorians or Tellarites in Starfleet, and even Vulcans seem to be rare. I would think Andorians would be great soldiers or security officers and Vulcans science officers. It would make sense for every starship to have a Vulcan bridge officer to bring logic in their decision making.

 

[Commander Richard]

How did humans become the dominant culture in the Federation despite being the least technologically advanced of the founding four?

Real world reason: Trek is about humanity and human potential.

In-show reason: Earth probably served as neutral ground between the Andorians and the Vulcans at first, and in the decades that followed, it ran up the middle and became what it is in the 23rd and 24th centuries. How exactly? I don't know. How did the U.S. replace the British empire?

 

[Tenacity]

We dominated the Federation politically, controlled policy, and after a time technologically shot pass the other founding members.

Earth might have been less damaged by the Romulan War, than the others in the alliance (like the United states after the 2nd world war.

This is how we were able to have the Federation council be establish on our planet and keep it there.

One of the conjecture histories I've read (I forget whose) had Humans creating colonies by the several hundreds, far more and faster than other Federation member, too the point that the other member became concerned.

If those colonies then became Federation members themselves, this would create a Human voting block in the Federation council.

Gene Roddenberry's original idea for the Federation was a Earth dominated republic/empire, with some aliens members too, in secondary positions.

 

[WebLurker]

Short answer, because the Federation was United Earth's idea (as shown in Enterprise).

I never understood why Starfleet vessels were based on human technology in the later years. Why didn't they just develop Vulcan or Andorian ships at that point as they both were significantly ahead technology-wise?

Who's to say they didn't use other races tech, but kept more Earth Starfleet-style designs?

Also we don't see Andorians or Tellarites in Starfleet, and even Vulcans seem to be rare. I would think Andorians would be great soldiers or security officers and Vulcans science officers. It would make sense for every starship to have a Vulcan bridge officer to bring logic in their decision making.

That would depend on who wanted to enlist. ENT did indicate that T'Pol and Spock's long service on mostly-human-crewed ships was unusual. "The Immunity Syndrome" (TOS) also had a Starfleet ship with an all-Vulcan crew. So, there is the distinct possibility that there were more non-human Starfleet officers and crew, but we didn't see them in the thin slice of life that the TV shows gave is. It is a big fleet, after all.

 

[Commander Richard]

So, there is the distinct possibility that there were more non-human Starfleet officers and crew, but we didn't see them in the thin slice of life that the TV shows gave is. It is a big fleet, after all.

That's what I've always thought.

 

[gantoris]

Real world reason: Trek is about humanity and human potential.

In-show reason: Earth probably served as neutral ground between the Andorians and the Vulcans at first, and in the decades that followed, it ran up the middle and became what it is in the 23rd and 24th centuries. How exactly? I don't know. How did the U.S. replace the British empire?

Yeah I get that. It's just that the writing could have explained it more. I also understand Vulcans didn't seem like a species interested in expanding their realm, but Andorians were Klingon-like warriors. What else would they want if not conquest?

The U.S. replaced the British Empire and all the other European Empires by being a vast, untouched continent with endless opportunities and very little historical baggage. In comparision Britain, France etc. were just cramped up states in heavily populated Europe.

 

[sbk1234]

That's what I've always thought.

Makes sense, since presumably each race would have different environmental needs, such as gravity, temperature, and atmosphere.

 

[Jax]

In terms of story, I always felt Humans were the leading members of the Federation who were willing not only to let Earth be the centre of this multi race alliance (Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites didn't want tons of different aliens living on their planets), we put in more resources because we were the most willing participants and were the most willing to share technology off the bat. Vulcans still wanted their children to attend the Vulcan academy over Starfleet it seems and maybe the same was for the other founding members.

With all this in mind in made sense at least the early Federation was so human dominated + did we have the biggest population in terms of the 4 species who founded it?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Earth might have been less damaged by the Romulan War, than the others in the alliance (like the United states after the 2nd world war.

It was the Earth-Romulan War. Who can say if any other species were involved at all?

Gene Roddenberry's original idea for the Federation was a Earth dominated republic/empire, with some aliens members too, in secondary positions.

Source?

 

[WebLurker]

It was the Earth-Romulan War. Who can say if any other species were involved at all?

Memory Alpha cites "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" (ENT) as establishing that Vulcan, Andor, and Tellar were allies of Earth during the war, at least as of the defeat at the Battle of Cheron, which "The Enemy" (TNG), marks as the end of the Romulan War (it's on the computer when mirror Archer and Sato are reading about the prime universe's history).

While we don't know when the others joined Earth in the war or if they were the only other species involved outside of the principles, the idea that Earth had allies is consistent with Spock's description of the war in "Balance of Terror" (TOS) (which is really the most detailed description of the war we have in canon): "...no human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other."

Therefore, from the beginning, it was established that humans and Romulans weren't the only ones involved.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Memory Alpha cites "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" (ENT) as establishing that Vulcan, Andor, and Tellar were allies of Earth during the war, at least as of the defeat at the Battle of Cheron, which "The Enemy" (TNG), marks as the end of the Romulan War (it's on the computer when mirror Archer and Sato are reading about the prime universe's history).

While we don't know when the others joined Earth in the war or if they were the only other species involved outside of the principles, the idea that Earth had allies is consistent with Spock's description of the war in "Balance of Terror" (TOS) (which is really the most detailed description of the war we have in canon): "...no human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other."

Therefore, from the beginning, it was established that humans and Romulans weren't the only ones involved.

True, but it appears Earth and Romulas were the primary combatants. And it centered around them.

 

[WebLurker]

True, but it appears Earth and Romulas were the primary combatants. And it centered around them.

Probably, but there was always the idea that there were others involved somewhere along the line.

 

[Tenacity]

It was the Earth-Romulan War. Who can say if any other species were involved at all?

When Spock was giving his briefing to the crew in Balance of Terror, he mentions "ally".

"Therefore, no human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other. "

 

[Nerys Myk]

When Spock was giving his briefing to the crew in Balance of Terror, he mentions "ally".

"Therefore, no human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other. "

Post #10.

 

[VulcanMindBlown]

The books by Michael A. Martin are interesting, but not screen canon.

 

[WebLurker]

The books by Michael A. Martin are interesting, but not screen canon.

Who brought up the books? All the references to allies have been from the TV shows.

 

[Tenacity]

All the references to allies have been from the TV shows.

None of the ENT novels have Romulan war allies? I don't follow the novels myself, but haven't they moved through the Romulan war into a post-war time period?

 

[WebLurker]

None of the ENT novels have Romulan war allies?

I don't recall that they did.

I don't follow the novels myself, but haven't they moved through the Romulan war into a post-war time period?

Yes, the current batch of ENT novels are part of a sub-series, Rise of the Federation, by Christopher L. Bennett and are telling about events in the years after the Federation was founded. (Note: the series follows the continuity of the ENT relaunch novels, not the continuity of the TV shows and movies.)

 

[Sci]

Yes, the current batch of ENT novels are part of a sub-series, Rise of the Federation, by Christopher L. Bennett and are telling about events in the years after the Federation was founded. (Note: the series follows the continuity of the ENT relaunch novels, not the continuity of the TV shows and movies.)

Well, no, all ENT novels, including ENT novels set after the series, are consistent with the continuity of the TV shows and movies, because all licensed Star Trek fiction is required to be consistent with the continuity of the TV shows and movies as it exists at the time of publication.

 

[WebLurker]

Well, no, all ENT novels, including ENT novels set after the series, are consistent with the continuity of the TV shows and movies, because all licensed Star Trek fiction is required to be consistent with the continuity of the TV shows and movies as it exists at the time of publication.

The Good That Men Do (the first ENT relaunch novel) retcons then ENT finale. Granted, they play fast and loose with the historical recreation part of the episode, not the "live" events, but it's still a different path from from canon (and one that twists more than a pretzel at that).