Spoilers United Earth and its policies

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Shear fucking hubris?

Also known as the world's most awesome haircut.

 

[Tenacity]

Logically, there are only two options:

a) Australia was among the few not to join until 2150 sharp
b) Australia was among the many not to join until 2150 sharp

kesprit ( sp?) was a planet that had one state that didn't want to join the into a collective with another planetary union prior to joining the federation.

so in order to be a comparison, suppose only one earth state (instead of the dozens who didn't) didn't join united earth, would earth have been able to join the federation?

even comparison.

Beverly: What if ONE of the old nation states (instead of many) ... oh let's say Australia ... had decided not to join the World Government ..."

Did New York stop being a state when the USA was formed?

did it's many member states stop being a sovereign states when they joined the united nations? no.

did earth nations stop being sovereign after joining united earth. no.

did earth and other federation members stop being internally sovereign upon joining the united federation of planets? no.

 

[Sci]

I wonder why the brave new Earth insists on being "United"?

The same reason the United States of America, United Mexican States, United Republic of Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland insist on being "United" today, or that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or Union of South Africa or the United Arab Republic or United States of Venezuela in the past used the words "Union" or "United" in their names: To emphasize the fact that polities that were once separated were now acting as one.

Having watched the episode yesterday, United Earth's isolationism had not made them xenophobic, the Earth Captain treated Saru as an equal. So thankfully Terra Prime is not running the place.

Yeah. I mean honestly the idea that Terra Prime in particular would even survive seems implausible. Is there a terrorist group from the year 1090 operating today?

I mean, it seems like interstellar trade is a fraction of what it once was. Couriers and raiders are an issue, but nothing that a single planet can't handle on its own.

Is it though? The UEDF seemed to treat Wen's raiders as a significant military threat -- when it was really just a handful of ships run by half-starved civilians who hadn't even had a shower in months. I suspect United Earth is a great deal militarily weaker than it wants its enemies to think, and I suspect that's a result of cutting themselves off from the entire galaxy.

Basically why bother forming an interplanetary state when logistics are hard to coordinate, there's nothing much worth exchanging, and common defense is no longer needed?

I think it's a mistake to assume that a common defense is no longer needed. For instance, the Romulans of the 24th Century used micro-singularities instead of matter/anti-matter reactions to power their warp drive systems -- who's to say that a Romulan empire or other singularity-using state isn't still around? What about all those cultures that used FTL drives more advanced than warp that Voyager discovered? What about the Borg?

When you cut yourself off from the rest of the galaxy, you make yourself weaker and cut off your ability to learn from your neighbors. I mean, hell, United Earth apparently doesn't even control the rest of its own solar system anymore! That defense network looks like it's based on low Earth orbit -- they look like they don't even control Luna!

IIRC, there was also a Tellarite in the EDF. Logically, there would have been plenty of aliens on Earth at the time of the Burn, among them plenty who would have been permanent residents, perhaps even for several generations prior. Indeed, what we see in the episode indicates Earth is isolationist to the extent that even humans living elsewhere in the Sol system were seen as a threat. They were Earth First, everyone else back in line, but they were not a homo sapiens only club.

Exactly. And in fairness, it seems that U.E.'s 32nd Century isolationism is a reaction to being constantly subjected to planetary raids and invasions in the abeyance of the Federation. Like the ancient Britons reaction after Rome left Great Britain and the Anglo-Saxons invaded.

The novels have the President of the USA visiting the Starfleet ruins after the Breen attack, by the role will probably be like the major or governor of a major piece of territory

Specifically, the short story "Eleven Hours Out" from the anthology Tales of the Dominion War featured the United States President, the Prime Minister of United Earth, and the Federation President all touring Starfleet Headquarters after the attack.

Whether or not the continued existence of a settler-colonial state like the United States in a United Earth built on equality and social justice is a good thing, is an exercise perhaps best left to the audience member.

In any event, the novels have also established that United Earth is a parliamentary republic, with a ceremonial President, a Prime Minister who is the real executive leader, a Cabinet, and a United Earth Parliament.