The United Federation of Planets = The United Nations (IRL)

[WinterSoldier]

The comparison seems fairly straightforward to me. Both are hyper-governmental organisations built on the Liberal values of equality and freedom. They both operate with cooperation as their primary ideal, even when this includes uneasy alliances and pacts of non-intervention. Both have an explicit Charter and a version on universal rights for all (human or conscious) beings. The only major difference I see is that the Federation has an independent military force and the UN does not.

 

[Tenacity]

Differences of course, generally similar. A collection of nations vs a collection of worlds.

There is a provision in it's charter for the UN to have it's own military, but the member nations won't allow it.

 

[Tuskin38]

The federation appears to be more like a nation than an organization like the UN.

 

[Henoch]

In universe speculation: the Federation with a space military (Starfleet) is a TOS development. Starfleet was the military space arm of United Earth during the beginning of TOS and was in transition to go under the Federation. Something happen prior to TOS (probably "the Klingon threat") where member worlds of the United Federation of Planets were attacked. Their initial fragmented and uncoordinated responses by member worlds proven disastrous. They must have got their act together and conducted joint operations (under United Earth's Starfleet leadership) to counter the enemy into a stalemate. Their long-term solution was to form a combined space military and put it under the Federation. United Earth proposed using Starfleet Command under a Federation Council to command the combined forces and all other space assets. Bureaucratic wrangling stalls progress (those damn Vulcans,Tellarites and Andorians). The transition was completed mid-Season One when Starfleet was fully under the Federation.

The transition plans may have accelerated during Season One with the new threat from the Romulans . Was the upgraded military presence of Starfleet seen as a new provocation to the Klingons? The Klingon boarder with the Federation must be getting touchy by now ...YMMV.

 

[Tenacity]

The Federation was born as a result of the Romulan war, basically the Coalition pf Planets with a name change..

 

[Shawnster]

It seems individual members send ambassadors TO the Federation. Sarek was an ambassador tot he Federation. Luxwana Troi, likewise. A solid cohesive nation does not send ambassadors to itself.

It can be argued that Sarek and Troi were Federation ambassadors and that they represented the Federation to other nations. I think the obvious objection to this idea is Sarek's role as ambassador in the decision to admit Coridan to the Federation. Still, the idea is open to debate.

The Federation government has a head of state called a president. The office also has a special executive committee called a cabinet. There is a Federation Council that seems to be a legislative body separate from the ambassadors. I'm not aware of any Federation senators, congressmen, or ministers.

 

[Tenacity]

Going by TAS, Federation members exchanged ambassadors between each other too.

In addition to ambassadors to the Federation, members also send multiple representitives to the Federation.

 

[Henoch]

The Federation was born as a result of the Romulan war, basically the Coalition pf Planets with a name change..

Okay, but they have no military space forces nor a Starfleet Command, yet. The United Federation of Planets seems to be more like today's European Union. Go to Wikipedia "European Union" and substitute "Federation" and you have a good idea how it runs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union

Membership (example):

Through successive enlargements, the European Union UFP has grown from the six four founding states (Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) (Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar) to the current 28 150. Countries Worlds accede to the union by becoming party to the founding treaties, thereby subjecting themselves to the privileges and obligations of EU UFP membership. This entails a partial delegation of sovereignty to the institutions in return for representation within those institutions, a practice often referred to as "pooling of sovereignty".

To become a member, a country world must meet the Copenhagen Palais de la Concorde criteria, defined at the 1993 21?? meeting of the European Federation Council in Copenhagen Palais de la Concorde. These require a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU UFP law. Evaluation of a country's world's fulfillment of the criteria is the responsibility of the European Federation Council.

One Council representatives is assigned by each member world, so, I guess you call them ambassadors, too. One of them is elected as the President of the Council for some short term.

 

[Spot261]

No, but a far better analogy than the usual lazy Federation = US.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Considering Gene RoddenBerry was American, he did model the Federation after the US Federal structure. Just replace states with Planets & Different Species / Civilizations that lived on such planets.

A lot of the US Federal Constitutional Republic model with a little bit of European Union blended in.

 

[Prax]

Okay, but they have no military space forces nor a Starfleet Command, yet. The United Federation of Planets seems to be more like today's European Union. Go to Wikipedia "European Union" and substitute "Federation" and you have a good idea how it runs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union

One Council representatives is assigned by each member world, so, I guess you call them ambassadors, too. One of them is elected as the President of the Council for some short term.

How do you do strike through? I've been want to know for some time.

 

[1001001]

How do you do strike through? I've been want to know for some time.

Click the + sign at the top of the box, and then scroll down, and click strike-through.

Then just type.

 

[Tenacity]

The United Federation of Planets seems to be more like today's European Union

The EU doesn't have a military, at least not yet. If need be, the EU would probably stand aside and let the existing NATO defend it.

One Council representatives is assigned by each member world,

According to DS9, members select multiple representatives. I think the one representative thing was made up by the authors for the novels.

Okay, but they have no military space forces nor a Starfleet Command

We didn't see the Romulan war, so we don't know how things were organized.

Considering Gene RoddenBerry was American, he did model the Federation after the US Federal structure

During TOS there was no Federation structure, just vague references. Starfleet does seem to be modeled on the US Navy of the second world war, and the British Navy during the age of sail.

 

[Tenacity]

It seems individual members send ambassadors TO the Federation.

In the short run comic book series Count Down (lead up to the first Abrams movie), the Federation also sends ambassadors to the member worlds.

In the comic, Picard was the Federation ambassador to Vulcan.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

There is a provision in it's charter for the UN to have it's own military, but the member nations won't allow it.

Really?

Got a link?

 

[Kor]

... the Federation has an independent military force ...

I wonder what the name of this heretofore unseen military force would be.

Kor

 

[Tenacity]

Federation naval patrol.

 

[valkyrie013]

Coast Guard?

Thinking based on the United states model, with the state's being the planets. There's no mention of the legislative branch in cannon. Maybe the Council? Something like a Senate?
And maybe there are ambassadors for each planet, representing there planet to other planets inn the federation.. Looking to represent there interests at the other planet? Negotiating for resources, etc.
With the federation seemingly a weak federal system in tos times, with most power to the planets.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The Federation are much more united than the UN.

More like the late 18th century US.

 

[Tenacity]

There's no mention of the legislative branch in cannon.

or just hasn't come up yet. we went a fairly long time before there was a mention of a president, maybe there wasn't a president during TOS and i the position was resurrected at the time of the movies. dissolved after TUC, and recreated in the second half of the 24th century.

Maybe the Council? Something like a Senate?

or more the UN security council, the original founding members and a few randomly select later members.