The Stellar Fraternity

The United Federation of Planets, more often referred to as simply the Federation, was established in 2161. It is one of the most formidable interplanetary alliances in the Star Trek universe. Its more than 150 members and colonies (notable ones are the Earth, Vulcan, Talain IV, and Andoria) are committed to fostering mutual trade, research, defense, exploration, and cultural understanding with each other. Unlike most other stellar groups, the Federation did not originate from a single species enslaving others and seeking to actively subsume or invade other planets and areas in order to expand its borders and gain more resources. Rather, planets apply for membership (or rarely, are invited) to the Federation Council, located in San Francisco on Earth. They will then have to undergo a deliberation and investigation lasting for several years . Once accepted, they agree to co-exist under a single central government that is based on the principles of universal liberty, rights, and equality. It was founded first by four species (Human, Vulcan, Andorians, and Tellarites) who formed a temporary alliance while in search of a Romulan drone-ship. They chose to formalize their alliance after the end of the mission (and a long-fought Romulan war) by forming the Coalition of the Planets, realizing that interstellar unity was needed in order to prevent another war. Other species started joining and seeking membership, until the ties between the members became more structured and the Federation was formed.

The Federation does not shy from wars and military operations, however- it has played a key role in many large scale conflicts. Most notable is a feud with the Klingons, which lasted for over a hundred years. Other powers the Federation battled with are the Romulan Star Empire, the Dominion, the Borg, and the Cardassian Empire. After the conflict with the Klingons was ended with the Khitomer Conference, the Federation was able to conduct peace-time space exploration. However, relations with the Romulan Star Empire remained cool but not outwardly hostile.

The economy of the Federation is intriguing- it is utopian in the sense that there is an abundance of all resources. As such, individuals can focus on self-actualization and technology instead of wondering where their next meal will come from. In the Earth, war and poverty have both been eliminated. It is not clear if the Federation has a monetary system or not- Captain Kirk and his crew from the 23rd century look at using money as quaint and have categorically stated that they do not use any money. However, some episodes and series have shown characters from around ten to twenty years later using something called ‘credits’, which has had no formal definition. Other fringe planets are also known to trade using latinum. All member planets were expected to contribute resources in times of emergency. Individual worlds, however, were all allowed to have their own form of internal economy.

Appreciative of the founding principles of the United Federation of the Planets? Download this free Star Trek Battle Scene Federation Of Planets wallpaper now.