This page is about the Federation in the novel, for the Federation in the film universe, see United Citizen Federation.
| Terran Federation | |
|---|---|
| Political | |
| Type |
|
| Race(s) | Human |
| Founding document | Union of the countries of the earth |
| Leader | Federal Council |
| De facto leader | Sky Marshal-in-Chief |
| Armed forces |
|
| Societal | |
| Base/capital | Terra |
| Holiday(s) | The Federation Day (October 19, 2132) |
| Official language |
|
| Historical | |
| Formed from | United Nations Organization (UNO) |
| Established | Century XXII |
| Status | Active |
The Terran Federation is the government of Earth and its Space Colonies.
Background[]
Although the book is vague on the details of how the world came to its current state, one is able to extract this information:
At the end of 20th century, national governments of the world collapse because of so-called unlimited democracies. These "unlimited democracies" were the primary cause of the collapse, but other errors that the Terran Federation would later do away with were "the fraudulent Marxian definition of value from which Communism derives," civil unrest due to a "pre-scientific pseudo-professional class" who called themselves Social Workers and Child Psychologists, and the banning Corporal Punishment.
In 1987 there is war between the Russo - Anglo - American Alliance and the Chinese Hegemony. Shortly before the war's end, a group of intellectuals perform a coup d'état in an attempt at creating a utopia. This incident later came to be known as the Revolt of the Scientists. . At the end of the war the Treaty of New Delhi was signed. This treaty freed prisoners captured by the Russo-Anglo-American Alliance. However left approximately 65,000 civilians (Japanese, Filipino and Russian) and 2 divisions of British Paratroopers in Chinese incarceration to be sentenced for political crimes, forcing the abandoned prisoners to escape to gain freedom.
It should also be noted that at the end of the 20th century, the North American Republic was brought down by raging illegal activity which took place all around the world, including Russia and the United Kingdom. Crime was at its peak for most of the second half of the 20th century, lasting up to the war between the Russo - Anglo - American Alliance and the Chinese Hegemony.
After the collapse of national governments, a group of veterans in Aberdeen, Scotland formed a vigilante group to stop rioting and looting. They hanged a few people (including 2 veterans) and decide to only allow veterans to join their committee due to a mistrust of politicians. This contingency plan became routine after a couple of generations, and this group of vigilantes was the start of the Terran Federation.
Government[]
The Terran Federation is a multicultural society that functions as a limited democracy. Full citizenship is not guaranteed to all members of the population and must be earned, typically through military service. Citizenship grants additional civil rights, such as suffrage and the right to run for political office.
However, people of higher levels of authority also have to suffer tougher repercussions of their actions, for instance, a Lieutenant could hang for making a mistake that a Private would merely be dismissed and maybe lashed for, while Corporal and Capital Punishment are practiced by the government as well as physical child rearing being standard use amongst the population.
A "History and Moral philosophy" instructor in the Army says "personal freedom for all is greatest in history, laws are few, taxes are low, living standards are as high as productivity permits, crime is at its lowest ebb."
Federal Service and Citizenship[]
- Main article: Federal Service
The people of the Terran Federation are made up of either "Citizens" or "Civilians". Everyone is born a "Civilian", and at age 18 every "Civilian" has the right to enroll for a minimal 2 year term of "Federal Service". In theory a completed term of Federal Service ensures a "Citizen" is willing to put the needs of the community before their own personal well-being. This is because Federal Service is tough and dangerous (by design). It can involve joining the Military, being a Human Guinea Pig, testing survival equipment or Manual Labour. The Federation makes it quite easy to quit a term of service before completion (even during war time), but once someone has quit they are never allowed to enroll again. This is to ensure that all volunteers are dedicated, whilst also discouraging people from leaving.
The opportunity is open to everyone able-bodied or not. A Doctor giving a medical examination says "if you came in here in a wheelchair and blind in both eyes and were silly enough to insist on enrolling, they would find you something silly to match. Counting the fuzz on a caterpillar by touch, maybe." The only way you can not join is if a psychiatrist decides you cannot understand the oath.
"Civilians" are neither discriminated against, nor deprived of legal rights other than that of the ballot. Several examples from the book bear this out, particularly the fact that Juan Rico's family is prosperous and lacks for nothing save the right to vote (which his father regards as "useless" anyway).
Only after completing a term of Federal Service, "Civilians" then become "Citizens" and gain the right to vote.
Military[]
The Terran Federation's military is divided into at least two branches: the Mobile Infantry ground forces and Fleet; an interstellar naval force, each with dozens of non-combat and support branches e.g logistics, biological/chemical weapons development, and terraforming. The "Sky Marshal" commands the entire military. To be eligible for the post of Sky Marshal, an officer must reach certain high ranks in both the Army and the Navy.
Once in the military a volunteer has the choice to "go career", choosing to devote 20 years of service to the Federation instead of the usual 2 years required to gain Citizenship. After these 20 years they can then leave and get a "reserved job", for example in the police. If they quit before then, after choosing the career path, the Federation is less supportive to them in the Civilian world. A minimal 2 year service can be extended if the Federation deems it necessary, as explicitly stated in the "Service Oath" taken upon enrollment.
Distinctive units would be:
- The "Mobile Infantry" (a branch of the Army). They use "Powered Armour Suits" (and are featured largely in the book), these suits are very versatile and have made more common battlefield units obsolete e.g Tanks and Paratroopers.
- The "K9 Corps" act as a reconnaissance units using "Neodogs" via an emotional bond with them. A Neodog is an "artificially mutated symbiote derived from dog stock", it is able to speak and has the average intelligence of a child aged 8 - 12 years.
- The use of Clairvoyants and Psychics is also hinted.
- There are engineers who do not use powered suits, and Rico describes that they are valiant fighters even though they are unskilled.
The Navy, mean while, has powerful weapons capable of destroying planets, such as the Nova Bomb.
A majority of ship board ranks are filled by females and the primary role is to provide transportation for infantry forces.
Notes[]
- In Japanese dubbed version, both Terran Federation and United Citizen Federation are called "Terran Federation" (地球連邦 Chikiu Renboū "Earth Federation").
References[]
- Starship Troopers, 1959, Robert A. Heinlein.
External links[]
- The Nature of Federal Service(PDF File)
- ChrisW's Thoughts on Starship Troopers (A fan-written essay on the novel Starship Troopers)