STructure and leadership

jedion357's picture
jedion357
February 12, 2011 - 6:22pm
How is a colony's government to be organized?

When will colony members get their say in its government?


I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!
Comments:

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
February 12, 2011 - 9:39pm
Depends on who organized the colony.
  • Independants (Where did they get their financing? How do they pay it back?)
  • Corporate
  • Existing goverment body

What if another colony starts up in another part of the system, on the other side of a planet or moon? Edit: changed is to if. I was thinking of ownership rights.

jedion357's picture
jedion357
February 13, 2011 - 5:30am
w00t you left out religious group leaving for a "promised land" to live their beliefs free of interference- ie the Pilgrims or a plethora of examples from Science fiction.

starting a colony on a moon or some where else in a system has more implications over government and management of the colony as the "home world" is very much at hand and can easily meddle

I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
February 13, 2011 - 7:33am
I was thinking categorical, religious groups fall under independent, unless sponsored by another entity.

Ellzii's picture
Ellzii
February 17, 2011 - 9:28pm

As for religion w00t is correct, we come back to what is the reason? If a religious institution funded and sent the colony to "spread the good word" you can always bet it will be a theocracy. (After all those heathens will just $&#* things up.) If it is a bunch of people fleeing persecution, it might still be a theocracy based upon the "new" religious model, or the people may become independant. That is more dependant upon the charisma of the leader.

As for the moon thing intersystem travel is too cheap for the home planet not to keep a tight leash on their lunar colony.

-LZ


William's picture
William
February 28, 2011 - 2:54am
If you have a corporate structure, it could be modeled after the Railroad towns of the old west(1800's). Corporate control of the store, supplies, living arrangements, everything.

For an independent, it could be like the Gold Rush. Individual or small group claims on a planet with no central government. Maybe an elected Sheriff, or retired Star Law agent could maintain order?

jedion357's picture
jedion357
February 28, 2011 - 2:05pm
Ellzii wrote:
That is more dependant upon the charisma of the leader.


-LZ



Charisma of the leader, yes for groups where the rank and file are not suppose to think but just follow what they are told- Moonies, Jim Jones etc (Call this the Charisma model)

...or it would depend on Belief- Pilgrims- wasn't so much about persecution but beliefs and a desire to live as they thought they should and limit the corruption of the surrounding society from leading astray their children. This is the more powerful model- the Belief Model. Amish and Mennonites fit here too.

The Belief model is more robust because the Charisma model only has legs for as long as the leader lasts. Belief model is transmitted to each new generation and they rise up with the beliefs of their parents (a few may fall away but most dont) It could take generations for the belief model to fall apart.

Charisma model will invariably be an absolute theocracy, Belief model will not usually have one individual that is running the show and threatened by an opposing view- Belief model is more flexible because each franchised "citizen" knows that the next guy is just as committed as he is so though disagreements will come up the society is usually open enough to allow for opposing viewpoints. There can be individuals who carry great influence but they have this influence because the majority respect them and not because of abject devotion.

Charisma model cannot abide any opposition and must purge it.

Persecution Model- This is a legit model but it overlaps with the Belief model. Here the unifying factor is the persecution. Belief can go hand in glove with the persecution in unifying its participants. In this case you will get a powerful sense of community from their having suffered together like brothers in arms. If there is a multiplicity of belief or sects that were equally persecuted the you wont get a theocracy at all but rather a democracy or republican type of government- where all participants get a say/vote and the religious differences are respected.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!