United Federation of Planets
United Federation of Planets is a government that features in Star Trek.
Contents |
History
Origin
The United Federation of Planets was an interstellar government that was formed in the year 2161 on Earth. (ENT: These Are the Voyages...) It's creation came about as a result of the Babel Crisis in 2154 when a temporary alliance of Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites formed after their respective ships were being targeted by a mysterious vessel. (ENT: United) This led to discussions about a more open alliance between their respective governments to be considered with other species invited to the talks that included the Denobulans, the Rigelians and the Coridanites as they began to form the Coalition of Planets. (ENT: "Demons") In 2156, the Earth-Romulan War erupted with the Coalition of Planets becoming involved in this conflict that ended in 2160. In the aftermath, the allied worlds of the Coalition came together in forming the United Federation of Planets. (ENT: These Are the Voyages...)
The United Federation of Planets remained in a protracted, bitter cold war with the Klingon Empire. For generations, the two entities maintained a volatile stalemate characterized by deep animosity and mutual suspicion, punctuated by border skirmishes and tragic losses on both sides. This geopolitical stasis was dramatically disrupted following the catastrophic destruction of the Klingon energy moon Praxis. The ensuing environmental and economic crisis forced the Klingon High Council to seek détente with the Federation, proposing a groundbreaking summit aimed at ending the centuries of conflict. The Federation leadership, under President Ra-ghoratreii, cautiously welcomed this unprecedented diplomatic overture, initiating a bold peace process later formalized as the Khitomer Conference. Starfleet command was tasked with the sensitive duty of providing safe passage for the Klingon Chancellor Gorkon to the initial talks on Earth. This historic shift in foreign policy, however, provoked intense opposition within the Federation's own ranks, particularly among high-level Starfleet officials and a secret alliance of disgruntled Federation, Klingon, and Romulan officers who viewed the prospect of peace with disdain. This conspiracy culminated in the assassination of Chancellor Gorkon aboard his vessel and the subsequent capture of Federation officers, an event deliberately orchestrated to destabilize the negotiations and provoke a full-scale interstellar war. Ultimately, the successful efforts of the starship Enterprise crew exposed the conspirators and prevented a second assassination attempt on the Federation President during the signing ceremony, allowing the historic Khitomer Accords to be established and thus fundamentally altering the course of galactic history by transforming old enemies into allies. (Movie: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
Dominion War
Future
By the 31st century, the Federation was noted to had become involved in the events of the Temporal Cold War where they attempted to prevent changes in the timeline. (ENT: Stormfront)
Following the Temporal Wars, time travel came to banned by all the powers due to the dangers posed by it. Sometime later, an event known as the Burn affected the galaxy where all Dilithium powered engines used by every spacefaring race suddenly exploded. The devastation killed millions where it ending interstellar space exploration with the Federation eventually collapsing as a result of this event. The loss of the Federation meant that all the laws it enforced through space similarly abandoned. By 3099, the Federation was long gone though a small cadre of Starfleet aligned individuals looked to maintain the hope on its return. (DIS: That Hope Is You)
As of 3189, only 38 members remained in the Federation, though many other planets still adhered to Federation values. (DIS: Die Trying) Ni'Var, incorrectly believing SB-19 responsible for 'the Burn' until 3189, was among the planets that seceded. (DIS: Unification III)
An incident erupted between the Federation and Ni'Var when a Qowat Milat nun was responsible for murdering a Starfleet officer and stealing a dilithium shipment. The crew of the USS Discovery were instrumental in resolving the incident with the nun J'Vini was apprehend and remanded into the custody of Ni'Var. (DIS: Choose to Live) Afterwards, negotiations resumed between the Federation and Ni'Var over the re-admittance of the latter. However, elements among the Vulcan Purists opposed membership and wanted an exit clause allowing their departure without any review. Such a move though was opposed by the Federation as it offered all the rewards of membership but none of the responsibility and also risked other worlds demanding similar clauses. Captain Burnham alongside Saru were able to offer an alternative by suggesting a committee be established that was separate from the Federation Council to address complaints and possible withdrawal. As such, Ni'Var came to re-join the Federation where they came to help in the study of the Dark Matter Anomaly. (DIS: All Is Possible)
In 3195, Betazed was convinced to re=join the Federation, and it was decided that the new seat of power would be built on Betazed rather than the original location in Paris. (SA: Beta Test) The Federation also helped to solve the Klingon diaspora by allowing them to conquer Faan Alpha, an uninhabited world in Federation space ideal for replacing the destroyed Klingon homeworld Qo'noS. (SA: Vox In Excelso)
Overview
Admission into the Federation was either done so by invitation or a successful petition from a world or civilisation. Those candidates that made a petition were only granted membership upon successful satisfaction of certain requirements. The government of the prospective member had to make an official petition to the Federation Council and outline their desire to join. Afterwards, a thorough investigation of the prospective members culture which included copy the records of the applicant's central computer. (TNG: The Hunted)
A governing body within the nation was the Federation Council. (TOS: Amok Time) The Council's meeting chamber was in the Earth city of San Francisco, on the west coast of the North American continent. (Movie: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
A democratically elected member was chosen to serve as President of the Federation. (DS9: Paradise Lost) The Federation President served as both the head of state and head of government; as chief executive officer of the government. The President determined most of the Federation's foreign policy, managed budgetary concerns, and served as supreme commander of the Federation's military forces. (Movie: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) The Federation Cabinet was a special executive committee to the President of the United Federation of Planets. (DS9: Extreme Measures)
Central guiding principles of the government were enshrined within its Constitution. Under Seventh Guarantee, people were presumed innocent until proven guilty with it considered one of the most important rights granted by the Federation. (TNG: The Drumhead)
In the Uniform Code of Justice, certain rights were afforded to individuals such as under Chapter 4, Article 12 allowing a person to make a statement before any questioning began. (TNG: The Drumhead)
Within their society, economics was different in that money did not exist in the Federation. Individuals did not paid and the acquisition of wealth was not the driving force in their lives. Instead, people worked better themselves and the rest of humanity. (Movie: Star Trek: First Contact)
A hierarchy of courts was noted to exist within the government with these being known as the Federation Supreme Court. (DS9: Doctor Bashir, I Presume) The Federation Diplomatic Corps was responsible for negotiations and diplomatic affairs. (TOS: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) To handle temporal threats, the Federation established the Department of Temporal Investigations that examined cases involving changes in the timeline. (DS9: Trials and Tribble-ations)
An institution present within the Federation was the Daystrom Technological Institute. (TNG: The Measure of a Man) One of its branches was the Division of Advanced Synthetic Research that looked in the creation of synths and artificial lifeforms. (Picard: Remembrance) It was shown to be situated in Okinawa, Japan on Earth. (Picard: Remembrance)
In addition, at least one rogue agency, known as Section 31, was known to have operated in the name of the Federation. (DS9: Inquisition)
Territory=
Planets in the Federation included:
- Earth :
- Vulcan :
- Andoria :
- Tellar :
- Kaminar :
- Kasq : a worrld that was originally the home of an organic species who created holograms to be servants but eventually leaving their planets and their creations behind. The holographic lifeform gained sentience and came to be living photonic beings that took the name Kasqians after the departure of their creators. Fearful of becoming servants once more, Kasqians were reluctant to interact with organic lifeforms. The photonic Kasqians came to be known as the Makers who created new generation of holographic life forms made for certain tasks such as diplomatic emissaries. (SA: Series Acclimation Mil)
Members
- Jonathan Archer :
- James T. Kirk :
- Spock :
- Leonard McCoy :
- Jean-Luc Picard :
- William T. Riker :
- Benjamin Sisko :
- Jadzia Dax :
- Katherine Janeway :
- Chakotay :
- Bruce Maddox : male human who joined Starfleet and became the Associate Chair of Robotics at the Daystrom Institute. (TNG: The Measure of a Man)
- Daniels :
- Laira Rillak :
- T'Rina :
- Ruon Tarka :
Notes
- The United Federation of Planets or the Federation was first mentioned in Star Trek: The Original Series in the episode "A Taste of Armageddon" (1967).
Alternate Versions
- In Star Trek: The Original Series, an alternate version of the United Federation of Planets appeared in the setting of the Mirror Universe in the episode "Mirror, Mirror". This reality showed an alternate interstellar government formed by Earth that was the militaristic expansionist Terran Empire.
- In Star Trek: Picard, an alternate version of the United Federation of Planets appeared in the setting in the episode "Penance". It was created as the result of the actions of Q who interfered in human history causing the rise of a xenophobic tyrannical government called the Confederation of Earth.
In other media
Video games
- In Star Trek Online, the United Federation of Planets appeared as a playable faction in the MMORPG.
Books
Appearances
- Star Trek: The Original Series: "A Taste of Armageddon" (1967)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation:
- Star Trek: Deep Space 9:
- Star Trek: Voyager:
- Star Trek: Enterprise:
- Star Trek: Discovery:
- Star Trek: Picard:
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds:
- Star Trek: Starfleet Academy:
External Links
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