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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 0:29:23 GMT -5
Since HotM is on the backburner until Nicole can get back to this site (and I don't want to hear about it - this is not the thread for being butthurt about not leaving a member behind) I figured we could attempt to do another Science Fiction story. I have a universe that I'm working in, which I've named the Earth/Venus/Mars universe. By nature it would be a Space Opera. I would have a plot. The factions would be the Terran Federation, Venusian Republic, Martian Empire, Stellar Alliance, and Planetary Union.
Let me know it you think this is a good idea.
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Post by TEAM_DERRICK on Mar 19, 2011 10:15:48 GMT -5
Bug War
That is all
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Mar 19, 2011 10:29:56 GMT -5
I like it. Give for info on the factions
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Post by TEAM_DERRICK on Mar 19, 2011 10:47:45 GMT -5
And Bug War
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 10:49:38 GMT -5
I like it. Give for info on the factions  |
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 15:48:21 GMT -5
I'll have more info up soon, but the factions are as follows:
Terran Federation
Venusian Republic
Martian Empire
Frontier League
Stellar Alliance
Planetary Union
The Republic is more or less analogous to modern-day United States, with a bit of European Socialism thrown in. The Empire is exactly what it says on the tin. The Frontier League is as close to a Libertarian system as possible; think wild west but with spacecraft. The Alliance functions as a Greek Democracy - but across many worlds. The Union is more or less a working United Nations in space; each member nation/country maintains its own government system within its own system or systems and appoint or elect representatives to the Union Council.
I actually want help with the Federation. They're a Communistic system, but one that actually works. So, Derrick, I guess give me your idea of a Communist government that would work and I'll base the current Federation around that.
I'll probably throw in an alien race or two: Proud Warrior Race Guys, and another one.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Mar 19, 2011 15:59:20 GMT -5
K'orm?  ? |
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 16:05:45 GMT -5
what were they? The technomancers? Um, maybe not with the same kind of psychic abilities, but possibly a race like them... hm...interesting
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Mar 19, 2011 16:09:56 GMT -5
do it do it do it
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 16:12:02 GMT -5
Alright then. Three Alien species. the aforementioned warrior race, the K'orm Technocracy (I assumed the entire species belongs to this one government, am I correct?) and a hiveminded species.
The Warrior Race and the Hive mind are also factioned.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Mar 19, 2011 16:15:25 GMT -5
Technically the K'orm have one government, but it is split between a more Conservative vs. Radical group within the Inner Council. As such they actually have to deal with a lot of terror cells and activist movements. Also pirates.
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 16:19:07 GMT -5
Right. I remember something like that. But they're not divided like we humans are.
The Warrior Race is more like large tribes that associate with one another - sometimes fighting.
And the hivemind is, well, a hive mind.
The Planetary Union comprises roughly 75% of the Separatist worlds, a fact that will make much more sense in the future. But the Republic, Alliance, Federation, League are all observer members of the Union, as well as the K'orm.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Mar 19, 2011 16:30:27 GMT -5
I wish I had saved all my K'orm information...damn now I'll have to re-write it.
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Post by TEAM_DERRICK on Mar 19, 2011 16:44:18 GMT -5
This is gonna be fun. puffinbros.wikispaces.com/CommunismOkay Tyler, the problem with actually functioning communism is this. I'm assuming you want an authoritarian regime. Functional communism only works when it's of the Libertarian variety. This has been proven countless times via the Spanish Republicans and the Paris Commune. So I'm going to give you two different things. One is what I believe in (which is pretty much how the UASR functions with some differences) and the other will be more Stalinist in function. Type one: Parecon World After the Earth's resources have been mined into oblivion by mega-corps, the world switched to Participatory Economics. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_economicsHere, everyone is equal, but there's not much to share. Dwindling resources are distributed amongst the population, but are rationed. There's no real money in the modern sense of the word, as the way people work is very different now. There's a factory. At the end of each month, everyone gets a paycheck based upon the hours and type of work done. This is all tracked by computers. At the beginning of the day, you would be working the assembly line (minimal automation, robots kill jobs), around noon you'd be a janitor, and at the end you'd be managing the inventory/ loading things from the docks. Twice a month, everyone meets together to vote on how the company functions and what it should do. There are no managers, no CEO's. All are equal. Money works more like a book keeping system now. You get payed various amounts for the types of work you do (you can apply for extra hours in certain fields to get more credits), but the money can only be used at government shops. Let's say you go to the store and buy a TV and a sandwitch. That's 1,243^. The resulting credits (^) are then deleted from your account. The money is not transferred to the store. It simply disappears. You cannot give money to other people.The government has what is also called Trade Credits (+^) for trading goods with other planets. The resulting system works, but there are no surpluses. Everyone is fed, but no one is fat. The actual Global Government (EarthCen? TerranGov? TerrCon?) does very little, only making sure that the fleet and resources are accounted for. Everything is done at a local level, hence the name Participatory Economics. All of this hinges on massive databases on the net. These track everything. Think of it as a massive stock exchange, only things like delivery time, trucks, inventory and all that is also managed. The people themselves would probably view other planets as decadent and oppressive as they still harbor a "bourgeois" class. Seeing as how the rich drained the world, they'd hate them. Expect a lot of tension between them and richer characters. Type Two: ALL ARE ONE. GLORY TO THE HUMAN RACE. Think 1984. There you go. The great enemy are all the other stars. Please choose type one. I find that to be waaaay more interesting than type 2. |
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 23:32:33 GMT -5
I'll think on that. And, honestly, no. I was deliberately trying to stay away from an authoritarian communist regime A) because its overdone and B) because it doesn't work. Obviously. That's why I asked you.
Here's a bit of background on the Terran Federation just to put it in a context, sort of:
The Terran Federation is the direct descendant of the current United Nations, which collapsed because of key member states pulling out after the failure of the UN to prevent the Venusian and Asteroid revolts, as well as the Belter War. This took place years later, after Venus and Mars began to emerge as actual neighbors, and it became clear that they weren't going away. The UN refused to change into what they wanted, and so they pulled out, which caused a chain reaction as more nations withdrew support. There was a brief war of unification across Earth in which the major nations (USA, China, Russia, Japan, etc) forced the smaller nations into submission with a new, world government like the UN but more powerful: the Terrestrial Commonwealth (mind you, this is around 2240 - the UN had been fallign apart for over half a century by now). So they're all kinds of pissed at Mars and Venus and the Asteroid Confederacy. Stuff happens, FTL travel, colonies. At some point, it becomes the United Federation of Earth and her Colones (UFEC). Small skirmishes between the four groups, no major wars until the 2400's. in 2426, the Great Interstellar War erupts between Earth and Venus, which lasts until 2442, during which the Frontier League supports Venus and drops out due to civil war, Mars changes sides from Earth to Venus before dropping out, and the Stellar Alliance (based on Luna) secedes from the Federation, taking apporox 1/3 of its systems. For the next 30 years, Earth, Venus, and Mars all isolate themselves from one another, banning travel in most cases between them, which makes the Solar System a very lonely place,m considering all five nations have their capitals there. It is during this 30 year Isolation period, the the Federation transitions from a free-market democracy into the communist version (probably participatory economics).
That's a bit of background on the Terran Federation.
But the more I think about it, the more the Parecon system seems to fit with the Frontier League, which I've styled after the wild west.
I AM deliberately creating distinct governmental systems in space because A) it makes for diversity B) to illustrate that one system isn't inherently better, just different and C) because I'm the author and I say so. I do seriously doubt the entirety of my future history: colonies on Venus, and Martian Empire. Direct democracy (which is cool - I envision each person having a personal voter card that shows a list of issues being brought up, and they can vote (or not) without ever having to go to a polling place).
Er, I rambled there didn't I?
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Post by TEAM_DERRICK on Mar 19, 2011 23:43:43 GMT -5
Nah, you did fine.
Alright here's my little thing to toss in.
Consider this. During the period of isolation, the Earth became nearly uninhabitable due to massive ecological and resourcical (that's now a word) damage. The masses revolted and booted the mega-corps off of the planet. Cue parecon.
I'd also like to see the asteroids be almost anarchist in nature with boatloads of different ways of living.
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Post by TEAM_DERRICK on Mar 19, 2011 23:44:45 GMT -5
Basically, I just want the populace to be generally angry at everything.
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 19, 2011 23:58:24 GMT -5
I should probably explain the Separatists now. Following the Great Interstellar War, a lost of the people living in known space (for lack of a better word) were tired of having Earth and Venus and Mars always at each other's throats. The War claimed almost two generations of soldiers - you'd think this would instill a born hatred of the others because all they knew was conflict with them, but it didn't. With the economies and militaries of Earth Venus and Mars all in shit, they didn't have the power to keep their citizens from migrating away to found new colonies, lest they look like jackasses, and no one wanted more bloodshed. So, under the direction of the Alliance, the Big Three issued a plebiscite (referendum, but my my word sounds cooler  ) to ask if the populace would allow a no-questions emigration out of their territory. The people voted nearly unanimously for there to be a five-year period of open emigration out of known space, which became the Emigration Plebiscite, the Separatist Exodus, or simply the Exodus. Later historians would name this time, the Great Disillusionment. Although the plebiscite went through, roughly 15% - 25% of the total population left during those five years. There is now a region in space between the Big Five and the Separatist worlds known as the Exodus Line/Divide/Gulf. (Divide and Gulf have become more common in recent years, as a way to emphasize the cultural differences between the two groups. Line in the official name, but Divide and Gulf are used more by the people and especially the media) For those 30 years of Isolation that followed, no one really expanded, instead focusing on repairing their shattering lands. The Separatists, however, flourished on their new worlds. Quickly reaching a comparable level with the Old Worlds and forming the Planetary Union, a United Nations style multigovernmental organization that was designed to prevent another Great Interstellar War. the Union comprises roughly 70% - 75% of Separatist worlds. They always maintained good relations with the Stellar Alliance. They were also the ones who made First Contact with the Proud Warrior Race Guys I mentioned earlier. Some early colonies migrated into their territories by mistake, but managed to fend off their attacks, and even defeat some, which earned their respect, and toleration. By this point, the Old Worlds are noticeably more conservative than the Separatist Worlds. Separatist Worlds are an experiment in new styles of living - becoming a cyborg, having weapons grafted directly into your arms/hands. Extensive genetic engineering for cosmetic (usually unnecessary) purposes - changing skin tone, eye color, hair color, number of fingers, etc. There's even been some serious strides in the way of psychic abilities, thanks to the emergence of the K'orm Technocracy as a major force beyond the Exodus Gulf. The Separatists (a term now used more or less derisively by the Old Worlds (which is itself a derogatory term)) are much more socially liberal on the whole -there are some hardline conservative systems out there, and even an oppressive regime or two, but for the most part, the Old Worlds turn their noses up at the Union (yes, even Venus). That being said, the the Federation, Alliance, Empire, Republic, and League are all observer nations of the Union, along with the K'orm, and the Warrior Race. The Union is trying to unite the humans (and possibly the aliens) into one system to promote peace. The Old Worlds see this as a possibility for espionage. The Warrior Race does it our of respect, and who knows what the K'orm are thinking? |
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Post by Mizagium on Mar 20, 2011 0:02:54 GMT -5
Nah, you did fine. Alright here's my little thing to toss in. Consider this. During the period of isolation, the Earth became nearly uninhabitable due to massive ecological and resourcical (that's now a word) damage. The masses revolted and booted the mega-corps off of the planet. Cue parecon. I'd also like to see the asteroids be almost anarchist in nature with boatloads of different ways of living. YOU READ MY MIND ABOUT THE ASTEROIDS. Although, after the war, they've sort of consolidated into a less anarchic system of seven or so Clans (I read the wikipedia page on the BattleTech universe ) the Megacorps were actually broken up by the old UN before it collapsed, but came back with the new Federation before the new NEW Federation booted their asses. And actually, Earth, Venus, and Mars (and the Asteroids) all signed the Solar Treaty back in...when they started colonizing space. Basically, the treaty said that they wouldn't use military force within the Solar System, since they were all based in the same goddamn system! I don't think they broke that treaty during the Great War, because that would have been complete annihilation. |
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Post by TEAM_DERRICK on Mar 20, 2011 0:02:42 GMT -5
I'd imagine that the Federation would object to bionic implants not out of any moral obligations, but economic ones. IE "We can't afford for you have a bionic arm. It's too damn expensive and we can't afford it. We also can't afford for you to live beyond your 'due date.' So yeah, get back to work."
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) to ask if the populace would allow a no-questions emigration out of their territory. The people voted nearly unanimously for there to be a five-year period of open emigration out of known space, which became the Emigration Plebiscite, the Separatist Exodus, or simply the Exodus. Later historians would name this time, the Great Disillusionment. Although the plebiscite went through, roughly 15% - 25% of the total population left during those five years. There is now a region in space between the Big Five and the Separatist worlds known as the Exodus Line/Divide/Gulf. (Divide and Gulf have become more common in recent years, as a way to emphasize the cultural differences between the two groups. Line in the official name, but Divide and Gulf are used more by the people and especially the media) For those 30 years of Isolation that followed, no one really expanded, instead focusing on repairing their shattering lands. The Separatists, however, flourished on their new worlds. Quickly reaching a comparable level with the Old Worlds and forming the Planetary Union, a United Nations style multigovernmental organization that was designed to prevent another Great Interstellar War. the Union comprises roughly 70% - 75% of Separatist worlds. They always maintained good relations with the Stellar Alliance.