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Solgov
Solgov is the joint Federal authority of humanity born from a reformed United Nations. While named after humanity's home system - Sol, it functions more as a mutual defense pact and communications network more than a far-reaching state with control over all of it's territory.
Despite it's grandiose name, Solgov's official name is The United Terran Systems, simply nicknamed Solgov due to it's representative headquarters on Mars and it's history as a communications agreement when humanity was still confined to Sol. As humanity colonized it's home star system in the mid 22nd century, the means for colonies and habitats to stay in touch with Terra became a pressing concern. However as quantum entanglement communications became more of a practical technology than just a physics theory, the nations of Terra had invested in networks using these breakthroughs to remain in contact with their colonies, while still lightyears away, populations as far as Pluto could send mail back home.
However by the end of the 23rd and mid 24th century the identity of Terra's major nations became much more faded as humanity's territory reached out, despite the ease of communication. The Bluespace Drive which had built upon the technology of Bluespace gates using the discovery of phoron and it's energy potential cut out the dependency for a new colony to construct it's own gate to stay connected. This ontop of new expeditions into the Orion Arm being funded by corporations or other private entities rather than states quickly spread humanity too far out to remain in practical control of their home nations.
While the idea floated to let the colonies and habitats outside of Sol have autonomous or corporate identity, the logistics of it hadn't been worked out until first contact with the Skrell in 2328 when a Skrellian expedition vessel had accidentally made contact with a private mining barge in the Cerberus system. Although a bloodless(and fruitless) first contact many colonies and systems were frightened by what little protections they had in event the Skrell were not peaceful, threatening to defect to corporate or lawless entities that could defend them. Faced with both first contact fears and just the sheer space between Sol and the frontier, the United Nations of Terra put forward a reformation bill that altered the structure of it's dated system.
- Frontier colonies were allowed to secede to form their own independent or corporate-aligned states peacefully while remaining under the new defense pact of The United Terran Systems.
- Colonies or systems that did declare independence were mandated to invest in military and naval defense for both their own well being and to act in defense of all of humanity should the need arise.
- The United Nations would expand and rename itself to The United Terran Systems and act as a federal state to oversee basic human rights, liberties, communications, representation and defense.
- Corporations that had successfully made colonization or exploration efforts were required to be sell at least 10% of their total shares to the entity of The United Terran Systems in exchange for these protections.
Formalized officially in 2332, signed by every United Nations member and 59 independent or corporate colonies, The United Terran Systems - nicknamed Solgov by the media, presented a new, united future for humanity in their new place among stars they were not alone in.
One of the core branches of the federal power of Solgov, the Naval Branch is responsible for the mustering and organization of representing states and systems navies as they act in defense of each other and Solgov as a whole. Currently every nation, colony or state is mandated to draft 15% of it's armed forces to act and deploy on Solgov orders, such orders can range from anti-pirate activity or other peace keeping duties in humanity's mutual interest.
The Diplomatic Branch of Solgov is responsible for both first contact policy and relations with pre-spaceflight species and relations with major type 1.5 species such as the Skrell, Unathi and Tajaran Alliance. While not originally within the scope of Solgov's founding constitution and needs, it soon became it's own official branch as humanity came in contact with more and more sapient peoples.
Strongly tied to the Naval Branch, the Comms Branch is responsible for the upkeep of humanity's Panoptinet and the official communications lines between systems and planets. While many anti-federalists suspect the Comms Branch to just be glorified spies watching it's own people, it's proven an invaluable department in keeping frontier colonies from becoming completely isolated.
The Legislative Branch is responsible for the laws and their enforcement regarding human rights and liberties all nations and systems within Solgov are bound to, and the representation of all members of Solgov's Federal Republic process. While every state and system member of Solgov picks it's representatives based on their population, the republic process is designed to try and give every voice equal voting power. However in practice this often results in more populated and prosperous systems having much more sway in legislative direction.
While Solgov is made up of many old and new human states, systems and corporations letting them all self-govern to an extent, part of it's constitution is what rights, liberties and protections every citizen within it are entitled to. Ranging from common sense laws since before humanity took flight into space, and new ones that have emerged from technological progress.
- A human is defined as someone born with at least 85% genetic compatibility with a baseline, naturally born human, or any other being that is legally a citizen of a Solgov member. A human is entitled to a clean, healthy life however long that may naturally be.
- Every human is afforded free movement between all Solgov states and territory, this right may not be infringed by any member state of Solgov.
- Every human is allowed a trial by jury or judge for any charged crime within a Solgov territory. Cases may be appealed to Solgov courts. However only Solgov Federal courts reserve the rights for capitol punishment of any human.
- No human shall ever be subjected to enslavement, defined as state or corporate enforced labor without compensation.
- Any human that renounces their citizenship to Solgov legally declares themselves no longer human.
- No human shall willingly make contact with an unknown species that shows sapience and communication, that right is reserved for Solgov as a diplomatic body.
- No human shall engineer, build, design or cooperate with any intent to create a self-improving intelligence.
- No human shall engineer, build, design or cooperate with any intent to create a weapon, device, program or tool that poses an exusurgent threat to humanity as a whole.
- Every human is unique, and may not have a digital copy of their minds willing or unwillingly redistributed while the original mind is still alive.
While Solgov functions today and has done a passable job of protecting humanity from pirates, civil rights abuses and created work for billions. It's fallen into the typical traps of a federal republic: lobbying, out of touch representatives, wasted taxes, embezzlement and corruption. The list goes on. Much like democracy however the status quo stays the same, after all: "It's a flawed system, but it's better than the rest of them."