What exactly is allowed in the Federation and what exactly disqualifies membership?

[BohandiAnsoid]

I know that the Federation allows a lot of things to occur among their members, especially if they are part of their culture. However, I also know there are some limits. So, what exactly are these limits? Where is the line drawn?

 

[BillJ]

Depends on the writer and the needs of the story.

 

[Oddish]

My guesses:
- United world, with little or no internal conflict. Stable government.
- Elimination of social issues like caste discrimination or slavery. This probably prohibits Ferengi style sexism.
- Universal human rights. Angosia' treatment of its veterans disqualified them.
- Reasonable technological level, enough that moving up to Federation tech levels will not significantly affect societal development.
- Adopting a non-imperial policy. Colonizing uninhabited worlds, OK. Conquering inhabited ones, not.

 

[BillJ]

- Elimination of social issues like caste discrimination or slavery. This probably prohibits Ferengi style sexism.
- Universal human rights. Angosia' treatment of its veterans disqualified them.

Ardana from "The Cloud Minders" seem to count these out. As does forced marriage, duels to the death and child bonding from the Vulcans.

- Reasonable technological level, enough that moving up to Federation tech levels will not significantly affect societal development.

Insurrection seems to imply that they are handing out Federation memberships like candy during the Dominion War.

 

[Shawnster]

RIKER: As First Officer of the Enterprise I think I can promise you that's not going to happen. The Kes will be denied membership.
MAURIC: You have no authority to make that decision. Despite whatever games you played with the Prytt when you arrived, we still plan to take our petition directly to the Federation Council. They'll listen
RIKER: They will also listen to the reports of the Captain of the Enterprise and his First Officer. And I can tell you right now the First Officer's report will go something like this. Kesprytt, a deeply troubled world with social, political, and military problems they have yet to resolve. The Kes, while a friendly and democratic people, are driven by suspicion, deviousness, and paranoia. It is the opinion of this officer they are not ready for membership.

 

[Oddish]

Correct. Also:

SISKO: "You realise that caste-based discrimination goes against the Federation charter. If Bajor returns to the D'jarra system, I have no doubt that its petition to join the Federation will be rejected."

 

[Timofnine]

Depends on the writer and the needs of the story.

Potential Federation members should have developed warp drive, making them warp capable, and they should also have achieved planetary peace. I cannot think of any more criteria for joining the homosapiens only club?

However, a Star Trek episode which deals with a Federation member being disbanded has *never* been dealt with before, as far as I can recall, and I think that this would be a *really* good storyline. Especially if the species was an established canon Federation member, not a random alien species of the week.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Insurrection seems to imply that they are handing out Federation memberships like candy during the Dominion War.

The Evora became a protectorate not a member

However, a Star Trek episode which deals with a Federation member being disbanded has *never* been dealt with before, as far as I can recall, and I think that this would be a *really* good storyline. Especially if the species was an established canon Federation member, not a random alien species of the week.

No we've only seen the aftermath of it in Discovery, would certainly be interesting to see the exact events when Vulcan, Andoria and Earth seceded.

 

[Timofnine]

[snip…] would certainly be interesting to see the exact events when Vulcan, Andoria and Earth seceded.

Probably the result of a self destructive Federation ‘civil war’ resulting from the external influences of galactic powers larger than the Federation who wished to divide and conquer the alpha and beta quadrants, a bit like how the Roman Empire fell? Probably all initiated by those parasites from Conspiracy?

 

[The Wormhole]

a Star Trek episode which deals with a Federation member being disbanded has *never* been dealt with before,

The Ktarians were ejected from the Federation for showing sympathies towards the Maquis.

Probably the result of a self destructive Federation ‘civil war’ resulting from the external influences of galactic powers larger than the Federation who wished to divide and conquer the alpha and beta quadrants, a bit like how the Roman Empire fell? Probably all initiated by those parasites from Conspiracy?

It was because of the Burn.

 

[kkt]

Potential Federation members should have developed warp drive, making them warp capable, and they should also have achieved planetary peace. I cannot think of any more criteria for joining the homosapiens only club?

However, a Star Trek episode which deals with a Federation member being disbanded has *never* been dealt with before, as far as I can recall, and I think that this would be a *really* good storyline. Especially if the species was an established canon Federation member, not a random alien species of the week.

It could be a sequel to The Cloud Minders. Ardana has not been in any great hurry to eliminate the Troglyte caste, and it's decades after Kirk and Spock left. (How long do the Ardanas live? Could Droxine still be alive, maybe she's ruler now?) A starship is sent to check on them as their responses to subspace radio are slow to nonexistent, and if Ardana is making no progress they will probably been reduced from a Federation member to a protected state.

 

[Oddish]

Potential Federation members should have developed warp drive, making them warp capable, and they should also have achieved planetary peace.

The Fed won't even say hi to you if you don't have warp.

 

[Mojochi]

- United world, with little or no internal conflict. Stable government.

Kesprytt III, From TNG's Attached, suggests that even not having a world govt. is not a hard disqualifier. They ultimately didn't admit them because of their BS, but they were considering it.

Sometimes I think the only solid prerequisite for consideration is they be warp capable & thereby a part of the interstellar community. Then it's ultimately evaluated on a case by case basis, as to whether they're going to be problematic in some way, like they did when rejecting Angosia III

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

As for UFP MemberShip:

Admittance into the Federation can be granted either by invitation or successful petition submitted by a world, civilization, or government desiring to join voluntarily.
In the second case, membership was granted only upon satisfaction of meeting certain requirements and conditions.

Firstly, the government of the prospective member submitted an official petition to the Federation Council, outlining its desire to join.

• A lengthy, thorough investigation of the prospective member's culture followed, including copying records from the applicant's central computer. (TNG: "The Hunted")
  This investigation could last several years, and was done to ascertain whether or not the culture genuinely shared the values of the Federation: values of benevolence, peaceful co-existence and co-operation, the rule of law, justice, and equal rights and freedoms. (DS9: "Rapture"; TNG: "The Measure Of A Man", "Attached")

For example, the discovery on the petitioning planet, Angosia III, of enhanced soldiers being unjustly and indefinitely imprisoned without treatment in times of peace was considered unacceptable in Captain Jean-Luc Picard's official evaluation of the planet for the Federation. (TNG: "The Hunted")

Even before the investigation, the prospective member had to meet certain requirements. These included the following:

• It had to have an "advanced level of technology." The Federation's baseline definition of this term was the capability for faster-than-light space travel. (TNG: "First Contact"; Star Trek: Insurrection)
• Its government should have achieved stable planetary political unity, demonstrating a resolution of social and political differences and a respect of the rights of the individual.
  Membership was still considered if there was an isolated faction present that did not want membership, but this was a rare case. (TNG: "The Hunted", "Attached")
• No form of caste discrimination was to be practiced. (DS9: "Accession")

Every acceding member had to go through the same admittance process, which included a specific timetable.

• Individual groups could give up their status as Federation citizens, as was the result when the settlers of Dorvan V elected to remain on their world even after it was ceded to the Cardassians. (TNG: "Journey's End")

At some point between the 24th and the 31st century, Federation membership reached a high point of 350 member worlds. (DIS: "Die Trying")

It seems pretty cut & dry as to what the UFP requires of their members.