Federal Interstellar Government
Structure
The Federal Interstellar Government is divided into three branches, each based in a different city on Earth. The legislative branch is based in Nairobi. The executive branch is based in Quito. The judicial branch is based in Singapore, although it holds sessions in other locations. These three locations were chosen due to their proximity to space elevators.
Culture
Culture varies from location to location within Federal space, but generally the government promotes a strong work ethic, civic responsibility, and a sense of patriotism based on the human race.
Public Agenda
The Federal Government's primary agenda is to promote economic growth and development of settled planets. It seeks to accomplish this through regulation of trade, resource management, oversight of planetary settlement, suppression of piracy, funding of exploration and research, and law enforcement.
Demography and Population
The Federation claims all human-occupied space, which gives it a population of around twenty billion people, almost half of which reside on Earth.
Territories
The Federal Government claims sovereignty over all human-occupied celestial bodies and artificial structures. Most of this territory is securely controlled by the Federal military, but there are some regions where Federal authority is either contested or outright overthrown.
Military
The Federal Military consists of two branches: the Navy and the Marines. The Navy focuses on deep space and orbital military operations and operates almost all military spacecraft. The Marines focus on surface warfare, policing actions, and boarding actions on spacecraft. The Marines operate a limited number of transport ships. Planetary-level armies, navies, and air forces fall under the jurisdiction of their respective local government. Interplanetary military spacecraft may fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Navy or a local government within the star system.
Technological Level
Faster-than-light travel is commonly used throughout Federal space. Travel between star systems takes anywhere from weeks to months. Subluminal travel between planets in the same system also typically takes several weeks to a few months.
Artificial intelligence and computing technologies are highly advanced. Turing-level machines in anthropomorphic bodies are expensive but available.
Holographic projections and virtual reality are commonplace and allow even modest homes to appear extravagant.
Engineering techniques allow for the construction of large spacecraft and buildings, mainly using carbonic skeletons. Survival in nearly any planetary or deep space environment is possible with radiation, thermal, and environmental protection incorporated into buildings.
Where available and practical, renewable resources are used to produce energy. Solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuel power is common across most planets. When energy demands exceed the capability of renewable resources, nuclear and antimatter power is also widely available.
Religion
The Federation does not have an official religion, but Universalism is the most common religion throughout the Federation. Nearly every planet has at least one universalist temple and typically several dedicated to local deities. Universalist festivals are widely celebrated. Because Universalism is not incompatible with other faiths, sometimes its adherents also follow other religions.
Other common religions are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and various folk religions. Sometimes these folk religions originated on Earth and spread to other planets. In other cases, the inhabitants of a planet developed their own unique religious beliefs.
Although most people throughout the Federation are religious, there are many who do not subscribe to any religion. However, even the irreligious typically celebrate the main Universalist holidays.
There is debate as to whether Synthism is really a religion or whether it is just a means for Turing androids to socialize with each other. Many androids follow Synthetic beliefs, but there are also irreligious androids and even androids who subscribe to other religious beliefs.
Foreign Relations
The Federation does not recognize any other national governments as legitimate, so it does not officially have a foreign affairs office. The Peoples Union claims independence from the Federal Government, and the two are currently in a state of open warfare.
Agriculture & Industry
Hydroponic agriculure has made it possible for most settlements to produce their own food, even those located in extreme locations such as barren planets or deep space. The most common crops are leafy greens, cereal grains, beans, and gourds. Alcoholic beverages are typically produced locally as well. The inedible parts of crops are used to feed insects, which are the most common source of meat in the federation. On planets where crops and livestock can be grown outdoors there are more varied food options such as fish, honey, fruit, and beef. Aside from food crops, most settlements produce their own crops for textiles, biofuel, medicine, paper, furniture, and construction material.
Industrial goods are not typically produced locally like agricultural goods. Many settlements were founded with the intention of exporting metals or minerals to Earth or other developed worlds. Mining, metallurgy, refining, and fabrication are the driving forces behind many outlying settlement economies.
Trade & Transport
The most commonly traded goods shipped across interstellar distances are information, industrial goods, and luxury goods. Within star systems, information is typically broadcast from planet to planet. Courier ships deliver information over interstellar distances. Freighters transport physical goods between star systems. Many planets have space elevators for transporting goods between the surface and transport ships. High-speed trains typically transport goods across planetary surfaces, but in some situations aircraft, airships, trucks, or surface ships are used.
Education
Federal law requires a basic education in mathematics, language, history, science, health, and art for all citizens. Most education is carried out remotely through pre-recorded lectures, especially on more remote worlds where in-person education is impractical. Federal citizens are typically well-educated, with higher-level and advanced degrees commonly attained by the majority of the populace.
Infrastructure
The Federal Government maintains the infrastructure for interstellar travel: space elevators, orbital dockyards, and space stations. Interplanetary infrastructure is maintained by system-level government and surface infrastructure is maintained by planetary-level government. Local governments also maintain sanitation, medical, emergency response, and educational infrastructure. Federal Navy and Marine bases are maintained at the Federal level, while local planetary defense forces are managed at lower levels. The Federal government also maintains many research facilities.
Type
Political, Federation
Capital
Alternative Names
The Federation, the Union, the Interstellar Union, the Government, the Federal Government
Demonym
Federal
Government System
Democracy, Representative
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Command/Planned economy
Currency
Federal chit
Legislative Body
Federal Congress
Judicial Body
High Courts
Executive Body
President, Executor, and Commander-in-chief
Location
Neighboring Nations
Organization Vehicles
Notable Members
At war
Technically, the Federal Interstellar Government does not recognize the People's Alliance and instead views it as a criminal organization.
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